Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Among the most historic 1% of U.S. towns · #12 of 468 in New Jersey. What drives it
6 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 69 buildings. Below: 11 old photos and papers, maps from 1884 on, and the census since 1880.
Passaic dates its founding to 1679 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1880.
Among the most historic 1% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Passaic is among the most historic 1% of U.S. towns, #12 of 468 in New Jersey. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its share of homes from before 1940 ranks highest and its National Register listings lowest.
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 Passaic’s 11.0 sits above most of its state (70% of New Jersey towns have fewer) while its 77 historic buildings outnumber those of 88% of U.S. towns.
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 →
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 Passaic. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Passaic.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
In the archiveA view of the falls on the Passaick, or second river, in the province of New Jersey Vue d…
In the archiveHINTON(1834) 2.455 Source of the Passaic Falls, New Jersey
In the archiveResidence of W. Burgess, Esq., Passaic, N.J
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
BuiltSt. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church is built
In the archivePassaic - esküvői emléklap
In the archiveStrike committee at Gate of Mills
In the archivePassaic Reds vs New York Giants professional football program. Red Cagle, Val Kaniewski p…
Born hereLiza Weil is born hereThe country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
From Wikipedia’s history of Passaic.
The city originated from a Dutch settlement on the Passaic River established in 1679 which was called Acquackanonk. Industrial growth began in the 19th century, as Passaic became a textile and metalworking center.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Passaic, cut from the printed page as they were published.
oughs as such until he resigned, in 1911, upon being elected one of the commissioners of Passaic under the Commission Grovernment Act. In 1899 he was appointed city counsel of the City of Passaic, and held this position under successive mayors until 1910, when he declined reappointment under Mayor Spencer. In 1911, very much against his own personal wishes, he was elected one of the commissioners for the Government of Passaic under the Commiision Grovernment Act. He served out the full term, but refused re-election. The most noteworthy services rendered by him as a commissioner were the acquiring
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
of two years with the Lefaigh Valley railroad, and next associated himself with Messrs. Wise and Watson, then the leading civil engineers in the city of Passaic. After being engaged in professional work in the city of Passaic and the surrounding community, Mr. Pettersen decided to visit the land of his nativity, and at the same time make a tour throughout Continental Eurq>e.
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.
6 decades in the archive, from the 1760s to the 1930s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
1877Residence of W. Burgess, Esq., Passaic, N.J1904Passaic - esküvői emléklap1910Strike committee at Gate of Mills
c. 1914Passaic Park Station
1917Alien Property Custodian - Property Seized - Botany W…
1917Industries of War - Cloth - Wool - Forstmann and Hoff…
1917Industries of War - Cloth - Wool - Forstmann and Hoff…Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
1884Sheet 1 of 7Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.
Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Passaic’s page.
Retake this view · +15Grew from 6,532 people in 1880 to 70,537 in 2020, more than tenfold.
15 censuses, 1880–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Passaic’s Wikipedia page.
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
Passaic’s post office has been open since 1854. Another post office, Aquacknock, opened and closed inside today’s town.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
In 1679, according to Wikidata. Passaic’s post office opened in 1812, and the census of 1880 counted 6,532 people here.
Passaic is among the most historic 1% of U.S. towns, #12 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.
6 listings: 5 buildings, among them the St. Nicholas Roman Catholic Church (listed 1979, the first), and 1 historic district, the Botany Worsted Mills Historic District, with 69 contributing buildings. 77 historic buildings in all.
58% of Passaic’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.6 points), against a typical 15% for a New Jersey town; the median home was built in 1938.
What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.
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 (10), the Library of Congress (1), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (6), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) 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.
1935