2024 Nutley Walk in the Park

The Nutley Historical Society’s annual Walk In the Park held on Sunday, May 26, 2024, led by Museum Director John Simko was a big hit with a second tour added to meet demand.

Simko discussed the history of Memorial Park and its connection to World War One.

Along with Nutley Historical Society President Dom Tibaldo, historic images showed the history of the Mud Hole - once the town's main water supply, the Enclosure, an artists' colony that brought Mark Twain to town.

The Mud Hole, or Mudhole, has been a favorite gathering place since our township was founded. Nutley was part of Newark, then part of Bloomfield, then NORTH BELLEVILLE, then Franklin ... until 1902 when we officially became Nutley, N.J.

The real story of the Vreeland Manor, aka, the Womens’ Club, is just one stop on the historic Nutley tour. The Junior Woman's Club of Nutley used the house at 226 Chestnut Street for its functions from 1912 to 2012. The Vreeland House changed hands in May 2012, when the club disbanded and turned over the property to the township. The 200-year-old building was saved from demolition and plans for its revitalization continue.

Simko explained that what is now Nutley Town Hall was once a fire station, the board of education office, and a fabric mill – but not all at the same time.

Long ago, about 160 years ago, the area around our library, Park Oval, and municipal buildings were thriving fabric mills creating military uniforms for the War Between the States.

Simko pointed out the sections of Nutley High School that remain from the original Park School. From the south end of the Park Oval, he illustrated how Chestnut Street looked one-hundred years ago.

About 35 folks attended the tours which began at Vreeland Avenue and the Mudhole and finished at the Nutley Museum.

Behind the scenes were NHS President Dom Tibaldo; Barry Lenson, Art Historian; Mike Petrucelli, Director, Building & Grounds; Eleanor Slomkowski, Director, Membership; Kathy Flaherty, Hospitality Director; Michael Gabriele, Nutley Velodrome Historian; Michael Frobose, Genealogy Chairman. And special thanks to Patti Ann Simko.