Totowa, New Jersey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Totowa, New Jersey
Borough
Memorial Day parade in Totowa
Seal
Map of Totowa in Passaic County. Inset: Location of Passaic County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.
Census Bureau map of Totowa, New Jersey
Totowa, New Jersey Location in Passaic County, New Jersey Show map of Passaic County, New Jersey Totowa, New Jersey Location in New Jersey Show map of New Jersey Totowa, New Jersey Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Passaic
Incorporated	March 15, 1898
Government
• Type	Borough
• Body	Borough Council
Area
• Total	4.08 sq mi (10.56 km2)
• Land	4.00 sq mi (10.36 km2)
• Water	0.08 sq mi (0.20 km2)  1.86%
Area rank	294th of 565 in state 8th of 16 in county
Elevation	262 ft (80 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	11,065
• Estimate  (2023)	10,785
• Rank	226th of 565 in state 12th of 16 in county
• Density	2,766.3/sq mi (1,068.1/km2)
• Density rank	233rd of 565 in state 10th of 16 in county
Time zone	UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Codes	07502, 07511, 07512
Area code(s)	973
FIPS code	3403173140
GNIS feature ID	0885420

Totowa is a small town, called a borough, located in Passaic County, New Jersey. In 2020, about 11,065 people lived there. The town's population has grown a little bit over the years.

Totowa became an official borough on March 15, 1898. It was formed from parts of other nearby areas like Wayne Township.

What's in a Name?

The name Totowa comes from the Native American language. It refers to the Great Falls of the Passaic River in nearby Paterson. The name means "sinking or falling water" or "between mountains and water."

Totowa's Story: A Look Back

Early Land Purchases

In 1696, a man named George Willocks bought a large piece of land. This land included most of what is now Totowa, Woodland Park, and Little Falls. Later, this land was sold again and became known as the "Totowa Patent."

Becoming a Borough

By 1895, people living in the southern part of Manchester Township wanted to form their own towns. After an election in 1896, many new towns were created.

The idea of forming the Borough of Totowa was discussed by brothers Joseph and Robert Boyle. On March 15, 1898, Totowa officially became a borough. The first election for the new borough was held on April 12, 1898, at the Willard Park Hotel. This hotel served as the town hall until a proper municipal building was built in 1910.

Where is Totowa?

Totowa covers an area of about 4.08 square miles (10.56 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

The borough is surrounded by other towns in Passaic County. These include Haledon, Little Falls, Paterson, Wayne, and Woodland Park.

How Many People Live Here?

In 2010, there were 10,804 people living in Totowa. The population density was about 2,705 people per square mile. By 2020, the population had grown slightly to 11,065 people.

Business in Totowa

Totowa has been home to some interesting businesses.

Past Businesses

Big M, a clothing company that owned stores like Mandee and Annie Sez, used to have its main office in Totowa. Another company, Greater Community Bancorp, also had its headquarters here. This bank had 16 branches in North Jersey before it was bought by Valley National Bank in 2008.

Sports and Fun

Totowa Police Athletic League (PAL)

The Totowa PAL is a group of volunteers that offers many sports for kids in Totowa. Children from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade can join. The PAL started in 1952 and helps kids enjoy sports together.

They offer sports like baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, football, hockey, and cheerleading. The PAL uses fields and buildings owned by the town. Their main building, built in 1963, is on Chamberlain Avenue.

Bowling History

In the early 1960s, a professional bowling team called the New York Gladiators played their home games in Totowa. They played at "Gladiator Arena," which used to be a movie theater.

Keeping Totowa Safe

Police Department

The Totowa Police Department is in the Totowa Municipal Building. They are in charge of keeping the town safe and enforcing laws.

Fire Department

The Totowa Fire Department (TFD) is made up entirely of volunteers. It started in April 1908. The TFD has 98 volunteer firefighters and four different fire companies.

First Aid Squad

The Totowa First Aid Squad started in 1951. They provide free, volunteer-based emergency medical services to the people of Totowa. During the day, other towns or private companies help with emergency calls.

Office of Emergency Management (OEM)

The Totowa OEM helps organize emergency services during local disasters. They work with volunteers and officials from the county and state to respond to emergencies.

Learning in Totowa

Public Schools

Students in Totowa from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade go to schools run by the Totowa Borough Public Schools. There are two schools in the district:

• Memorial School: For students in PreK-3.
• Washington Park School: For students in grades 4-8.

For high school, students attend Passaic Valley Regional High School. This school also serves students from Little Falls and Woodland Park. The high school building is located in Little Falls.

Students can also apply to the Passaic County Technical Institute (PCTI) in Wayne. This high school offers different career training programs. It's free to attend if you are accepted. In 2018, about 80 students from Totowa went to PCTI.

Private School

The Academy of St. Francis of Assisi is a private Catholic school in Totowa. It teaches students from kindergarten through eighth grade.

Getting Around Totowa

Interstate 80 eastbound in Totowa

Route 46 Passaic River Bridge

Totowa has many important roads, including Interstate 80 and U.S. Route 46. Other nearby roads include New Jersey Route 23 and the Garden State Parkway.

Public Transportation

NJ Transit offers bus services from Totowa to Midtown Manhattan. Local bus service is also available. For train service, you can use the Montclair-Boonton Line at the Little Falls station.

Cool Places to See

• Annie's Road: This part of Riverview Drive is famous for a local legend. Some people say it's haunted by the ghost of a young woman who was in an accident there.
• North Jersey Developmental Center: This center used to care for about 400 people with developmental disabilities. The state has plans to close it and move residents to smaller, community-based homes.
• Cemeteries: Totowa has four active cemeteries: Holy Sepulchre Roman Catholic Cemetery, Laurel Grove Memorial Park, Mount Nebo Jewish Cemetery, and the A.M. White Lodge Jewish Cemetery.

Media and Culture

Totowa is part of the New York media market. This means most major newspapers and TV channels from New York City are available here. Local newspapers like The Record and The Star-Ledger also cover the area.

In 2013, an episode of the TV show Undercover Boss was filmed in Totowa. In the show, a boss from ADT security pretended to be a new employee being trained in Totowa.

Famous People from Totowa

Many interesting people have connections to Totowa:

• Plaxico Burress (born 1977), a professional football player (NFL wide receiver).
• Jeff Chase (born 1968), an actor in movies and TV shows.
• Kristin Corrado (born 1965), a politician who serves in the New Jersey Senate.
• Lou Duva (1922–2017), a famous boxing trainer. His family's boxing offices are still in Totowa.
• D. C. Fontana (1939–2019), a TV writer known for her work on Star Trek.
• Kyle Gurrieri (born 1998), a professional soccer player.
• Lady Clover Honey, a drag queen, comedian, and TV personality.
• Ralph J. Marra Jr. (born 1953), a former United States Attorney.
• Juelz Santana (born 1982), a rapper and actor.
• Ernie Smith (1899–1973), a baseball player for the Chicago White Sox.
• John Spencer (1946–2005), an actor known for his role in The West Wing.
• Mike Sullivan (born 1967), a football coach for the Denver Broncos.
• Hubert Sumlin (1931–2011), a famous guitarist who played with Howlin' Wolf.

Images for kids

• 

  Memorial Day parade in Totowa

• 

  Seal of Totowa

• 

  Map of Totowa in Passaic County

• 

  Census Bureau map of Totowa, New Jersey

• 

  Flag of Passaic County, New Jersey

See also

In Spanish: Totowa para niños