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Casa SopranoPhoto: EdZa · CC BY-SA 2.0
CHistory
History · North Caldwell

North Caldwell dates to 1898, and 12% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 27% of U.S. towns · #413 of 468 in New Jersey. What drives it

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

1898founded
0on the National Register
12%homes built before 1940
2famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: EdZa · CC BY-SA 2.0
Quick answers

How North Caldwell began

When was North Caldwell founded?

1898

North Caldwell dates its founding to 1898 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1900.

First census: 297 in 19002020 census: 6,694128 years

How historic is North Caldwell?

C

More historic than 27% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives North Caldwell’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, North Caldwell is more historic than 27% of U.S. towns, #413 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 Caldwell’s overall grade.
Founding era1898, from Wikidata: founded 1850–1899, an older era than 37% of U.S. townsC+Homes built before 194011.6% of homes (±7.8) · 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 27%
NewerOlder
New Jersey towns of 2,500+ (468)Ahead of 12%

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 Caldwell’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 (±7.8 points). Two sources give 1898.

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 Caldwell’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 Caldwell 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 Caldwell change.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start North Caldwell’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how North Caldwell’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 Caldwell on the map, 1888 to 1995

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

North Caldwell on the 1888 USGS mapNorth Caldwell on the 1894 USGS mapNorth Caldwell on the 1906 USGS mapNorth Caldwell on the 1947 USGS mapNorth Caldwell on the 1954 USGS mapNorth Caldwell on the 1970 USGS mapNorth Caldwell on the 1981 USGS mapNorth Caldwell on the 1995 USGS map1888Morristown 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 Caldwell.

The story

How North Caldwell came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of North Caldwell.

Read it all →

North Caldwell was part of the Horseneck Tract, which was an area that consisted of what are now the municipalities of Caldwell, West Caldwell, North Caldwell, Fairfield, Verona, Cedar Grove, Essex Fells, Roseland, and portions of Livingston and West Orange. In 1702, settlers purchased the 14,000 acres (57 km2) from the Lenape Native Americans for goods equal to $325. The explanation for the name "Horse Neck" lies in the language of its first Dutch settlers and not (as has been inaccurately reported) because of its irregular shape. This purchase encompassed much of western Essex County, from the First Mountain to the Passaic River.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

North Caldwell, 1888 to 1962

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. 1898
    FoundingNorth Caldwell is established
  4. 20th century
  5. 1962Born hereDavid Newsom is born here
By decade

North Caldwell, decade by decade

Today6 recent
Sandford-Stager House, North Caldwell, NJ, Dec. 20242024Sandford-Stager House, North Caldwell, NJ, Dec. 2024North Caldwell, NJ borough hall, Dec. 20242024North Caldwell, NJ borough hall, Dec. 2024Former Green Brook Country Club, North Caldwell, NJ, Dec. 20242024Former Green Brook Country Club, North Caldwell, NJ, …2022-09-09 17 15 48 UTC minus 4 Aerial view of Cedar Grove (lower right), North Caldwell (lower left), Little Falls (ce…20222022-09-09 17 15 48 UTC minus 4 Aerial view of Cedar …Masjid Al Hakim Minaret2019Masjid Al Hakim MinaretNorth caldwell nj 0132005North caldwell nj 013
People over time

North Caldwell, census by census

02,0004,0006,0008,0001900192019401960198020002020Peak: 7,375

Between 297 and 7,375 people in every census since 1900.

13 censuses, 1900–2020.

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

Famous people

2 famous people were born in North Caldwell

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
D
David NewsomAmerican actor, film producer, photographer · b. 1962
V
Veronica Miele BeardAmerican entrepreneur and fashion designer
Places that used to be

Places now gone

Gone or out of use
Essex County Penitentiarybuilding

Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Stories next door

History across the town line

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

Cedar Grove Township2 historic placesC+Fairfield Township2 historic placesB−West Caldwell Township1 historic placeCVerona TownshipIts storyA−Caldwell1 historic placeA−SingacIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townLittle Falls Township1 historic placeB+

Questions about North Caldwell’s history

What year was North Caldwell founded?

In 1898, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1900 counted 297 people here.

How does North Caldwell rank for history?

North Caldwell is more historic than 27% of U.S. towns, #413 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 Caldwell?

12% of North Caldwell’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±7.8 points), against a typical 15% for a New Jersey town; the median home was built in 1965.

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 (6), 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.