More historic than 12% of U.S. towns · #460 of 468 in New Jersey. What drives it
Most of Moonachie was built recently: 8% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1966. Below: maps from 1888 on and the census since 1900.
Photo: Mr. Matté (if there is an issue with this image, contact me using this image's Commons talk page, my Commons user talk page, or my English Wikipedia user talk page; I'll know about it a lot faster) · CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answers
How Moonachie began
When was Moonachie founded?
1900
Moonachie first appears in the census in 1900.
First census: 212 in 19002020 census: 3,133126 years
How historic is Moonachie?
D
More historic than 12% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Moonachie is more historic than 12% of U.S. towns, #460 of 468 in New Jersey. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.
D
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Moonachie’s overall grade.
New Jersey towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical New Jersey town has 3.7 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Moonachie’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (12% of New Jersey towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D− to C−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±4.2 points).
Founding year: the first census (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Moonachie’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Moonachie. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1888Paterson sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Moonachie.
The story so far
Moonachie, in brief
Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Moonachie yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
Moonachie (English pronunciation: /muːˈnɑːki/ ) is a borough in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, in the Hackensack River watershed. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 3,133, an increase of 425 (+15.7%) from the 2010 census count of 2,708, which in turn reflected a decline of 46 (−1.7%) from the 2,754 counted in the 2000 census. Moonachie was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 11, 1910, from portions of Lodi Township, based on the results of a referendum held on May 3, 1910. On March 26, 1917, portions of Moonachie were taken to form Teterboro.
Its first post office opened in 1900. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew from 2,708 to 3,133 (+16%).
Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.
From the old history books
What they wrote about Moonachie in 1900
Passages that mention Moonachie, cut from the printed page as they were published.
The other roads leading into this from Passaic, Saddle River and other adjoining territory, were built at an early date and afforded an outlet to the settlers of this township. The road from Passaic through Carlstadt to Moonachie was completed in or about 1810, while the Paterson and Jersey City Plank road, was finished about four years later and the Hackensack and Paterson road in 1826. In 1850, the road from the village of Lodi to the Polifly road was opened. The New Jersey & New York railroad now runs through, connecting it with Jersey City and
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
To a district of excellent farming land, about one mile southeast of Little Ferry, and two miles to the west of Carlstadt, is given the name of Moonachie. It was so named in memory of Moonachie, the chief of a tribe of Indians, a branch of the Six Nations, who occupied this region. Over two hundred years ago Thomas Francis Cutwater, a Mr. Brinkerhoff, and a Mr. Kipp bought the so-called island of Moonachie of Captain John Berry, paying seven hundred pounds for it. This "island" was located between Berry's Creek, Indian Path, Losing
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
The Moonachie post office opened in 1900, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records). Wikidata gives 1910.
How does Moonachie rank for history?
Moonachie is more historic than 12% of U.S. towns, #460 of 468 in New Jersey. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
How old are the homes in Moonachie?
8% of Moonachie’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.2 points), against a typical 15% for a New Jersey town; the median home was built in 1966.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (5), U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
2024
2024
2012
2010
2008