Belleville Historical Society, Belleville NJ

09/15/2026

Founders Landing Monument

The Belleville Historical Society recently cleaned one of the City of Newark's most significant monuments.The Founders Landing Monument, which commemorates the landing of Robert Treat and the first settlers of Newark on May 21, 1666.

The monument which has National Historic recognition, was created by Gutzon Borglum , the sculptor of Mount Rushmore. Originally located on the bank of the Passaic River, development of the PAC Center, the light rail and arena caused the monument to be relocated and put into storage several times.

The monument will become part of Newark's historic Mount Pleasant Cemetery on Broadway this Friday September 18 at an 11am public rededication ceremony.

photo: Belleville Historical Society member Emmanuel Ramos-Jaramillo, a student at NJIT, cleaning the Newark Founders Landing Monument

08/14/2026

Belleville Sons Honor Roll
Remembering the Men Who Paid for Our Freedom
By Anthony Buccino

In the last century, Belleville lost 160 sons while in service to our country

Belleville NJ -- In the last century, this working class town in northeastern New Jersey lost 160 sons while in service to our country. This collection, gathered from newspaper clippings and other sources collects what we know about these young men in an effort that their sacrifice not be forgotten.

The first edition of this book resulted in several town streets being named for our local heroes and the names of the fallen being etched into the war memorial on Union Avenue.

The latest edition has added information and been arranged chronologically and includes information on Belleville in the American Revolution, War of 1812, Civil War, WWI, WW II, Korea, Vietnam and peacetime casualties.

A BRIEF HISTORY
SECOND RIVER IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
WAR OF 1812
CIVIL WAR
DIARY OF JAMES C. TAYLOR
WORLD WAR I
WORLD WAR II
LETTERS HOME TO BELLEVILLE
KOREAN WAR
VIETNAM WAR
POW MARTIN S. FRANK RETURNED SAFELY
PEACETIME CASUALTIES
STREETS NAMED FOR LOCAL HEROES
NAMES ADDED TO MEMORIAL
AMERICAN REVOLUTION ROLL CALL
ALPHABETICAL BY WAR
CHRONOLOGY
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ABOUT THE EDITORS

Biographies of the military men from Belleville, NJ, who died while in service

08/14/2026

Belleville and Nutley in the Civil War - A Brief History
by Anthony Buccino

Three men from Belleville, and three men from Nutley were killed in The War Between The States. This is not taught in either town's schools. It should be.

Belleville and Nutley in the Civil War - a brief history by Anthony BuccinoDocumenting the participation of the New Jersey towns of Belleville and Nutley (Franklin/North Belleville) in the American Civil War.

Includes information on six local soldiers killed in action in the War Between the States, plus information on the battle campaigns in which they gave up their lives. Also lists information on local participation in various New Jersey and other state militias.

Foreword
In The Beginning
Belleville Men Killed In Action
Veterans Of Belleville
Diary of James C. Taylor
39th Regiment - Infantry - Volunteers
Nutley (Franklin) Men Killed In Action
On Far-Flung Battlefields Nutley’s Sons Died
Call For Volunteers
Veterans of Nutley
Acknowledgements
About the Editor

Military history, biography, Belleville, Nutley, Second River, Franklin, New Jersey

Belleville and Nutley in the Civil War, a brief history - six men died, others served

08/14/2026

SECOND RIVER, 1777, TROOPS FROM BOTH ARMIES ENCAMPED HERE!

619 Followers.
Thank you all.

08/14/2026

Belleville Waterfront

Belleville Waterfront
20th Century panoramic photograph
Belleville waterfront, bridge across the Passaic River.

08/14/2026

September 1777
Cannon on the Second River (Belleville) side of the Passaic River held back British troops during Washington's Army retreat in Sept. 12 to Sept. 14, 1777.

The Battle of Second River

Cannon on the Second River (Belleville) side of the Passaic River held back British troops during Washington's retreat in Sept. 12 to Sept. 14, 1777. Read about the battle of Second River (Belleville) and the Belleville Historical Society effort to establish a monument to the first day's battle fought at the Dutch Reformed Church.

Private Benjamin Salter, Eastern Battalion, Morris County Militia, was killed in action in Belleville in the second day of fighting during the Battle of Second River on Sept. 14, 1777. Private Salter would have been buried there in an unmarked grave on or alongside the battlefield. Eight British soldiers were also killed and buried in what today is Belleville Park along the Second River.

Originally known as “Second River” or “Washington”, the inhabitants renamed the settlement “Belleville” in 1797.

The village of Second River (what today is Belleville and Nutley), included all the land between the Second and Third rivers, or roughly from present day Mill Street in Belleville to Kingsland Road at the Nutley-Clifton border. The Dutch Reform Church at what is now Main Street and Rutgers Street, Belleville, was the spiritual, political and military center of the community. The village rallied about 200 militia men to serve in the new republic's army.

Colonel Phillip Van Cortlandt was the commanding officer of the 2nd Essex Regiment, he was the highest ranking Revolutionary War officer from Essex County. Van Cortlandt lived on Main Street also and is buried in the Van Cortlandt crypt in the cemetery at the Dutch Reformed Church.

Captain Abraham Speer, was the commander of the local militia unit, headquartered at the Dutch church. He lived on what is now Chestnut Street in Nutley. He was the owner/operator of the ferry that operated in front of the church. Tradition says that his father John Spear shot and killed a British officer on the North Arlington side of the river. Spear then crossed the river and took the officers pocket watch as a souvenir. Both Abraham and John Spear are buried in the cemetery.

- Belleville Historical Society, Belleville NJ

07/23/2026

Remember the coupon books of pink tickets we used for school?

07/23/2026

Dutch Reformed Church,
Passaic River, Belleville.
You May Know It As Route 21

07/02/2026

This will wake up the neighbors

July 4th Ceremony In Belleville Will Include ‘21-Gun Cannon Salute’
The Belleville Historical Society will hold an America 250 celebration on Saturday.

The Belleville Historical Society will hold an America 250 celebration on Saturday.

06/29/2026

AMERICA 250!
Saturday 11 am