West New York dates to 1898, and 23% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 53% of U.S. towns · #289 of 468 in New Jersey. What drives it
Its Register listings are the Excelsior Engine Co. No. 2 Firehouse-Exempt Firemen Association Headquarters and the KESTREL (steam yacht). Below: maps from 1888 on and the census since 1900.
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1896.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives West New York’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, West New York is more historic than 53% of U.S. towns, #289 of 468 in New Jersey. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.
B−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of West New York’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 West New York’s 0.4 sits below most of its state (25% of New Jersey towns have fewer) while its 2 listings outnumber those of 60% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikipedia alone; no second source gives 1898.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C to B. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±3.5 points).
Founding year: Wikipedia (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 West New York’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 West New York. 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 West New York.
Famous people
10 famous people were born in West New York
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
West New York was incorporated as a town by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on July 8, 1898, replacing Union Township, based on the results of a referendum held three days earlier. West New York underwent a massive growth at the beginning of the 20th century, driven by development of textile industries that made North Hudson the "Embroidery Capital of the United States".
The town was populated mainly with Italian Americans and German Americans. Throughout the 1960s, West New York had an influx of Cuban émigrés to the area, leading it to once being called Havana on the Hudson; the city has a majority Hispanic population.
Passages that mention West New York, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of the municipalities of Hudson County, New Jersey, 1630-19231924 · page 512Read the page →
Read the text
thence southerly along the said center line of Bull’s Ferry road to the point or place of beginning, now embraced within the limits of the township of Union, and the same is incorporated into a town to be called and known by the name of “the Town of West New York.” The town presents the same general characteristics as the other North Hudson towns, but the advantage gained by an untrammeled waterfront that is free from railroad or corporation domination, has been shown by its rapid growth and development. Its water privileges are unsurpassed, having a
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of the municipalities of Hudson County, New Jersey, 1630-19231924 · page 469Read the page →
Read the text
tached to the General Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. The Rev. Herman Shoeppe, who was installed as the pastor of this congregation on June 22, 1878, had charge also of St. John’s Lutheran Church in West New York from October 19, 1879, to 1884. Services were held in the morning at the Franklin street church, and in the afternoon at West New York. Rev. Charles Boehuer is the present pastor of this church. Services are held both morning and evening, and Sunday school is held morning and afternoon.
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.
Timeline
West New York, 1888 to 1932
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
In 1898, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. West New York’s post office opened in 1896, and the census of 1900 counted 5,267 people here.
How does West New York rank for history?
West New York is more historic than 53% of U.S. towns, #289 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 West New York?
Two places: the Excelsior Engine Co. No. 2 Firehouse-Exempt Firemen Association Headquarters (listed 2022) and the KESTREL (steam yacht) (1977).
How old are the homes in West New York?
23% of West New York’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.5 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), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (2), 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 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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