Taking A Closer Look At Totowa, NJ

Totowa is a borough in Passaic County, in the New York metro area. The community name derives from an Indian term variously translated as “between a river and a mountain,” “where you begin” and “to dive and disappear.”  This has its total area about 4.1 square miles, of which, 4.0 square miles of its land and 0.1 square miles is water.  The latitude of Totowa is 40.905N. The longitude is -74.21W.  It is in the Eastern Standard time zone. Elevation is 190 feet.

There were Scottish land speculators, in 1696, George Willocks, who purchased a tract of land known as Willocks Patent, which included most of modern day Totowa Borough.  And become “Totowa patent” after it resold to Anthony Brockholls and the Van Houtens.  And the land titles were divided into three parcels.  The Garret Mountain Purchase, Woodland Park (formerly West Paterson), and Little Falls.  On April 12, 1898, the first election of the Borough of Totowa was held at the Willard Park Hotel, which would become the unofficial town hall, until the municipal building was completed in 1910.  After their township had a disenchanted with governing officials.

In the borough the population was spread out with 18.3% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 21.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 89.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.6 males. At the time of the 2000 census, the per capita income in Totowa was $26,561, compared with $21,587 nationally.  18% of Totowa residents age 25 and older have a bachelor’s or advanced college degree.

Totowa is under governed of the Borough from New Jersey municipal government.  The Government consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. Totowa is part of New Jersey’s 35th Legislative District and is in the Eighth Congressional District.

Totowa is home to the North Jersey Developmental Center, which serves 400 developmentally disabled citizens on its 188-acre (0.76 km2) campus.  Totowa is home to four major luxury home developments: Dey Hill Farms, Arlington Estates, Jeremy Heights, and Hickory Hill. Dey Hill Farms, the largest of the developments was started in 1974 and received its name from The Dey Mansion located down the road. The development has seen much enhancement since 1974, with the additions of Columbus Avenue, Flintlock Court, Liberty Ridge Extension, Centennial Court and Mountainview Court. A large tract of land known as “The Boonstra Parcel” remains undeveloped.