Garfield, situated at the junction of the Passaic and Saddle Rivers, was originally the home of the Hackensack Clan of the Leni Lenape Tribe of the Algonquin Indians who came here thousands of years ago. They were industrious and made wampum and articles for barter. The last known Indian, named Nachpunck, lived on the bank of the Saddle River opposite Cantacoy Brook.

In 1679 Jacques Cortelyou from New Utrecht, Long Island, sailed up the Passaic River and, taking a liking to the place, began negotiations with the Indians which resulted in the sale of a tract called Acqueyquinonke covering land from the Saddle River to the Great Rock (in Glen Rock) lying near the highlands and covered 5320 acres.

The area of Garfield is 1,333 acres or 2.08 square miles with an elevation from 10 to 160 feet. The City has more than 20 places of worship, a YMCA, a Boys and Girls Club, City Recreation Center, Senior Citizens Center, Health Center, Public Library, five volunteer Fire Companies and a volunteer Ambulance Corps.

Garfield is twelve miles west of New York City, ten miles north of Newark, four miles south of Paterson and across the river from Passaic and Clifton. The population according to the 2000 census is 29,786. Garfield’s single largest employer, Garden State Paper, which was located at 950 River Drive, closed in 2002.

Garfield earned the nickname “City of Champions” because the 1939 Garfield High School Football Team was National Champions, the Holy Name/Garfield Cadets were frequently winning DCI/National Drum and Bugle Corps Championships, Tippy Larkin “the Garfield Gunner” was Junior Welterweight Boxing Champion of the World in 1946, and because of the exploits of other Garfield heroes.

Bergen County, in which Garfield is located, is at the top corner of New Jersey, across the Hudson River from New York City. The County seat is Hackensack. Bergen County has three cities, two villages, nine townships and 56 boroughs – for a total of 70 municipalities.