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C+History
History · North Arlington

North Arlington dates to 1896, and 20% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 36% of U.S. towns · #375 of 468 in New Jersey. What drives it

Below: maps from 1888 on and the census since 1900.

1896founded
0on the National Register
20%homes built before 1940
1famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How North Arlington began

When was North Arlington founded?

1896

North Arlington dates its founding to 1896 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1900.

First census: 290 in 19002020 census: 16,457130 years

How historic is North Arlington?

C+

More historic than 36% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives North Arlington’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, North Arlington is more historic than 36% of U.S. towns, #375 of 468 in New Jersey. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.

C+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of North Arlington’s overall grade.
Founding era1896, from Wikidata: founded 1850–1899, an older era than 37% of U.S. townsC+Homes built before 194019.8% of homes (±4.4) · typical NJ town 14.7% · U.S. 8.4%B+National RegisterNo listings counted · typical NJ town 3.7 per 10,000 · U.S. 2.4C−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 36%
NewerOlder
New Jersey towns of 2,500+ (468)Ahead of 20%

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 North Arlington’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.

NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1896.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D to B−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±4.4 points).

Founding year: Wikidata (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 North Arlington’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of North Arlington are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 18888 editions of the USGS map, 1888 to 1995. Watch North Arlington change.Old housesHalf of North Arlington’s homes were built before 1954.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start North Arlington’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how North Arlington’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the map

North Arlington on the map, 1888 to 1995

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of North Arlington. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

North Arlington on the 1888 USGS mapNorth Arlington on the 1892 USGS mapNorth Arlington on the 1900 USGS mapNorth Arlington on the 1947 USGS mapNorth Arlington on the 1955 USGS mapNorth Arlington on the 1970 USGS mapNorth Arlington on the 1981 USGS mapNorth Arlington on the 1995 USGS map1888Paterson 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 North Arlington.

The story

How North Arlington came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of North Arlington.

Read it all →

North Arlington was originally part of an area called "New Barbadoes Neck".

Copper was mined at the Schuyler Copper Mine in present-day North Arlington during the 18th and 19th centuries. It was one of the first true copper mines in North America.

In 1755, the first steam engine in North America was assembled in North Arlington. The Newcomen steam engine was imported from England by John Schuyler to pump water out of his copper mine. He hired engineer Josiah Hornblower to assemble the machinery.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

North Arlington, 1888 to 1931

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1888On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  3. 1896
    FoundingNorth Arlington is established
  4. 20th century
  5. 1931Born herePatrick J. Ryan is born here
By decade

North Arlington, decade by decade

Today7 recent
North Arlington, NJ borough hall, Jan. 20252025North Arlington, NJ borough hall, Jan. 2025North Arlington High School, NJ, Jan. 20252025North Arlington High School, NJ, Jan. 2025Welcome to North Arlington 2023 jeh2023Welcome to North Arlington 2023 jehPizza Land2021Pizza LandZadroga 9-11 memorial2012Zadroga 9-11 memorialUSA - NEW JERSEY - North Arlington police2012USA - NEW JERSEY - North Arlington policeCensus Bureau map of2008Census Bureau map ofMap
People over time

North Arlington, census by census

05,00010,00015,00020,0001900192019401960198020002020Peak: 18,096

Between 290 and 18,096 people in every census since 1900.

13 censuses, 1900–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on North Arlington’s Wikipedia page.

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Kearny3 historic placesB+Lyndhurst Township3 historic placesBBelleville Township1 historic placeA−

Questions about North Arlington’s history

What year was North Arlington founded?

In 1896, according to Wikidata. the census of 1900 counted 290 people here.

How does North Arlington rank for history?

North Arlington is more historic than 36% of U.S. towns, #375 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 North Arlington?

20% of North Arlington’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.4 points), against a typical 15% for a New Jersey town; the median home was built in 1954.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

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 (7), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.