Remembering our town one bit at a time!
Belleville, New Jersey
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Belleville Vs. Nutley |
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1994 flashback: Throughout history, these twins have been separate yet Belleville versus Nutley comparisons continue By Anthony Buccino Belleville and Nutley have been compared and contrasted for hundreds of years or more. Comparisons have evolved throughout generations, and governments, and if you look back far enough, probably the Indians compared the two woodlands. In the past few years, some out-of-town writers on their way to bigger and better places have impaled jaundiced views trying to compare these sister cities. Having been born in one town and lived more there more than half my life, and having moved to the other town and lived there more than 16 years, I dare toss my opinions into the salad of great debate, Belleville versus Nutley. Belleville and Nutley are like identical twins separated at birth. Through fate, governments envy, educators compare, Realtors evaluate, and the towns continue to run into one another figuratively and literally. Belleville is the scrappy undernourished twin that always must live in the shadow of its uppity neighbor to the north. Belleville's industrial base was and remains mostly blue collar, while Nutley catered to engineers and scientists. In an ironic twist of fate, Nutley engineers designed the airplanes and Belleville workers put them together. Compared to its neighbor to the south Belleville has fared well, yet a trip north shows what Belleville could have been had it only been the chosen twin to get the better breaks. If it should ever become necessary to choose one town over another, here are a few things to consider when comparing the sibling townships: Belleville has Clara Maass Medical Center and an empty isolation hospital. Nutley has Nutley Animal Hospital. Belleville has two Pathmarks and one Grand Union, Nutley has one Shop-Rite. Belleville has Nutley Pet Center, Nutley has Just Pets. That's a story by itself. Belleville has Second River in Belleville Park which is famous for its Cherry Blossom display. Nutley has Third River and a connected park system crossing town. Belleville has a spacious, modern high school campus with a middle school cross town, Nutley has a centrally located middle school and high school located across from each other. Belleville has scattered strip-mall shops, Nutley has a central business/shopping district. Belleville has K-Mart, Nutley has no major chain or department store within town limits, but it does have a central business/shopping district with municipal parking. Belleville was written about by Russell Baker in his Pulitzer Prize winning book "Growing Up". Annie Oakley lived in Nutley, Jackie O vacationed there. Novelist Anne Rabinowitz, author of "Bethie" and "Knight on Horseback", lives in Nutley. Belleville residents can park anywhere at night. Double parking is frowned upon, but there are not enough driveways to accommodate all the cars. Nutley has no on-street parking at night. Every house has a driveway, apartment dwellers must fend for themselves. Belleville has the Mike Marotti Civic Association. Nutley has the Carmen Orechio Civic Association. Belleville spawned actor Joe Pesci, and fostered singer Connie Francis who sang on the stage of Belleville High School. Did I say Annie Oakley lived in Nutley, and Oakley Terrace is named after her? Belleville has Alva Street, named after the famous inventor whose factory sat adjacent to the road. Nutley has Edison Ave., which is near Oakley Terrace. Belleville has Center St., a cozy residential neighborhood. Nutley has Centre St. which dissects the town into north and south. Head east on Centre St. in Nutley south of Union Avenue and the New York Skyline is visible at a safe distance. In "Growing Up", chapter nine, Baker writes, "from certain places in Belleville I could look out and see the top of the New York skyline piercing the far horizon." Why that book is not mandatory reading for every Belleville student, is a mystery. Neither Belleville nor Nutley has a full-fledged bookstore. But each town has a first class library. Belleville has Rutan Estates. Nutley has Rutan Estates. The tract housing sits where Plenge's farm flourished regardless of township borders. Belleville has Main Street. Nutley has River Road. It is the same street, or road. To travel its length by car, you must begin in Clifton and head south. This is opposite Washington's Retreat Route, more or less. Belleville has a Belleville Avenue, and a Bellevue Avenue and a Bellevue Terrace. Nutley has a Nutley Avenue. Belleville has two Bloomfield Avenues, Nutley has one which it shares with Belleville. Neither Bloomfield Avenue in Belleville is normally thought to be in Belleville. Belleville has a Newark Avenue, and a Newark Place which it shares with Nutley. Belleville airs its political dirty laundry whenever two or more are gathered. Nutley sends its dirty laundry to dry cleaners. Belleville gets its water from Newark. Nutley gets most of its water from Wanaque, wherever that is, and many Nutley residents tap the town well. Belleville public meetings are colorful and have the usual critics; Joe Fornaratto, Vinnie Frantantoni, Edith DeFeo, Joe Celfo in his famous Kelly Green sweater, and other critics too numerous to mention. Nutley public meetings, unless they are about class size or park parking, are rather droll, uneventful and sparsely attended. Belleville has two Roman Catholic churches named after saints Anthony and Peter. Nutley has three Roman Catholic churches, but only one named after a saint. Belleville has Antonio's, Nanina's and Three Guys From Italy. Nutley has the Gondola, Santini's, Rocky's and Ralph's and the No Left Turn Diner on Centre Street. Belleville has a Carvel ice cream store. Nutley has a Carvel, a Baskin-Robbins and TCBY -- all within walking distance of the high school. Belleville High School has a large cafeteria and closed lunch. Nutley High School has a small cafeteria and open lunch ( the reason for so many restaurants on Franklin Avenue.) Belleville has Marianne's, the famous Short Stop and Michael V's Luncheonette. Nutley has Nunzio's, No Left Turn Diner, and Dunkin Donuts. How different are these towns, after all? Perhaps readers would like to submit suggestions. Perhaps preconceived prejudices are not all that real, and the twins are more identical than first appears to the stranger and the native.
Originally published on May 12, 1994 in the Belleville Post/Nutley Journal
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