On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Ridgefield Park is more historic than 90% of U.S. towns, #61 of 468 in New Jersey. Its age holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
A
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Ridgefield Park’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 Ridgefield Park’s 0.8 sits below most of its state (29% of New Jersey towns have fewer) while its 1 listings outnumber those of 51% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1685.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from A− to A+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±5.3 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 Ridgefield Park’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 Ridgefield Park. 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 Ridgefield Park.
Timeline
Ridgefield Park, 1685 to 1983
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Ridgefield Park yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
Ridgefield Park is a village in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the village's population was 13,224, an increase of 495 (+3.9%) from the 2010 census count of 12,729, which in turn reflected a decline of 144 (−1.1%) from the 12,873 counted in the 2000 census. Of the 564 municipalities in the state, Ridgefield Park is one of only four with a village type of government, though it operates a Walsh Act (city commission) form of government. Of the four New Jersey villages, Loch Arbour also uses the commission form of government, while Ridgewood operates under the council-manager form, and the Township of South Orange Village operates under a sp…
Ridgefield Park was established in 1685. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew from 12,729 to 13,224 (+4%).
Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.
From the old history books
What they wrote about Ridgefield Park in 1900
Passages that mention Ridgefield Park, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Bergen county, New Jersey1900 · page 490Read the page →
Read the text
sels as far up as the nothern boundary of the township. Originally the township of Ridgefield included the villages of Fairview, Ridgefield, Palisades Park, Leonia, Nordhoff, Shady Side, Edgewater, Fort Lee, Taylorsville, Coytesville, Ridgefield Park and Bogota, but now the boroughs of Undercliff, Palisades Park, Bogota, Leonia, Fairview, Ridgefield and the village of Ridgefield Park and Overpeck township have been taken away leaving but a small portion of the original town for the present township. The original township
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Bergen county, New Jersey1900 · page 526Read the page →
Read the text
52f> HISTORY OF BERGEN COUNTY Before the incorporation of the village of Ridgefield Park Mr. Ravekes served his township as committeeman for six years, having been the first representative of the western district elected to that position, servingas treasurer of the township at the same time. The duties incident to a large business interest, however, prevented him from serving further in any politicial capacity, nevertheless, he has been kept foremost in various other positions before the people. He is president
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.
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.
In 1685, according to Wikidata. Ridgefield Park’s post office opened in 1887, and the census of 1900 counted 1,987 people here.
How does Ridgefield Park rank for history?
Ridgefield Park is more historic than 90% of U.S. towns, #61 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.
What is on the National Register in Ridgefield Park?
One place: the Paulison-Christie House (listed 1983).
How old are the homes in Ridgefield Park?
44% of Ridgefield Park’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.3 points), against a typical 15% for a New Jersey town; the median home was built in 1948.
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 (8), the Library of Congress (1), the National Register of Historic Places (1), 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.
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