Passaic, New Jersey

A densely packed North Jersey city on the Passaic River, Passaic was an industrial powerhouse known as the "Birthplace of Television" — Philo Farnsworth demonstrated early TV technology at a factory here. Its textile mills drew waves of immigrants, and today the city is predominantly Hispanic with a vibrant Dominican and Mexican community.

Founded 1678 | Population 73,000 | Peak 73,000 (2024) | County Passaic County

Top 10 Most Important Events for Passaic, New Jersey

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1678 Settled: Dutch colonists settled along the Passaic River.

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1857 Textile Mills: Passaic became a major woolen textile center with massive riverside mills.

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1926 Textile Strike: A massive textile workers strike drew national attention and involvement from civil liberties organizations.

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1931 Television Pioneer: Philo Farnsworth's labs in Passaic contributed to early television development, earning the city its claim as "Birthplace of Television."

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2012 Hurricane Sandy: Hurricane Sandy caused severe flooding along the Passaic River, displacing thousands.

Complete Historical Timeline

1678 Culture

Settled

1857 Industry

Textile Mills

1926 Politics

Textile Strike

1931 Culture

Television Pioneer

2012 Disaster

Hurricane Sandy

Famous People from Passaic, New Jersey

Zoe Saldaña

Actor, Ballet Dancer · Born Jun 19, 1978 · Age 47

Paul Rudd

Screenwriter, Actor · Born Apr 6, 1969 · Age 56

Robert Smithson

Photographer, Geologist · Born Jan 2, 1938 · Died Jul 20, 1973 (age 35)

Mitch Albom

Screenwriter, Writer · Born May 23, 1958 · Age 67

Liza Weil

Actor, Television Actor · Born Jun 5, 1977 · Age 48

Passaic, New Jersey

Top 10 Most Important Events for Passaic, New Jersey

Latest News in Passaic

Complete Historical Timeline

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Famous People from Passaic, New Jersey

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