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The
ridge above the New Jersey Meadowlands upon which
Rutherford
sits was settled by Lenape Native Americans long before the arrival
of Walling Van Winkle in 1687. Union Avenue, which runs from the
Meadowlands to the Passaic River, 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 Philip Carteret to John
Berry (naval officer).
During
the early days of settlement, the land that is now Rutherford was
part of
New
Barbadoes
Township
, as Berry had lived in
Barbados
, another English colony, before claiming his grant in
New Jersey
. New Barbadoes was part of
Essex
County
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
Lodi
borough). When
Hudson
County
was formed in 1840, the area that is today North
Arlington
,
Lyndhurst
, Rutherford and East Rutherford became part of
Harrison
Township
(of which today's remaining portion is
Harrison
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 the many hot springs
in the vicinity.
In
the 1870s, the area began to be called Rutherford. The spelling
change may have been the result of name recognition of the
Ohio
politician Rutherford B. Hayes, who was elected President in 1876 or
could have been because of a clerical error done by the Post Office.
The U.S. Post Office 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.
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