History of West Paterson NJ

The name of the Borough, of course, comes from its location near the City of Paterson, which was named for William Paterson, who had an illustrious record of service for the state and nation during its early years. Taxation without representation and services, a battle cry of the American Colonists in their struggle with Great Britain, was the battle cry of the residents of the West Park section of the Township of Little Falls.

West Park residents felt were “assessed to the limit” and were receiving “no benefits,” while their township neighbors “received all the cream” and “West Park paid for it.” added to the fact that they felt they were not receiving the improvements they needed, West Park residents were concerned with the fact that practically all the township officials were elected from Little Falls and few, if any, were from West Park. Agitation for the creation of a borough started about 1905, with bills being unsuccessfully introduced in the legislature in 1908 and 1909. A small group of West Park formed an organization to fight for the creation of a borough. On Jan. 7, 1913 the “Borough of West Paterson” was proposed. One of the standard bearers, Anthony Ferrary, later became the first Mayor of West Paterson.

State Senator Peter J. McGinnis, a supporter of a the Borough’s formation introduced legislation, and on March 25, 1914 “An Act to incorporate the Borough of West Paterson” received final approval and was signed by Governor Fielder. This act provided for the boundaries of the Borough and called for an election among the voters of West Park, which was the second election district of Little Falls.

The Elections That Started It All

The election was held on May 1, 1914. Newspaper reports of the time predicted a one-sided victory, and it was taken for granted that the Borough would be voted for. When the polls closed at 9 p.m., the voters of the district had voted 194 to 20 to approve the new borough. Fireworks, horns, torches, the Totowa Fife and Drum Corps. and a parade of Borough residents marked the victory at the polls. On May 25, 1914, the Borough’s first election was held for Mayor, six Councilmen, an Assessor, a Tax Collector, two Justices of the Peace and two Constables.

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