The Little Falls Historical Society and You

The mission of the Little Falls Historical Society is to collect, preserve, and promote the history of the Township of Little Falls, New Jersey.

In pursuit of this mission the Little Falls Historical Society recently purchased an etching by Montclair artist Thomas R. Manley (1853 - 1938) which depicts a rustic scene in Little Falls ca. 1900. 

Mr.  Manley, an American Impressionist, was born in Buffalo, NY and moved to Montclair in 1893, where he joined a colony of artists that included George Inness, Frederick Ballard Williams, Charles Warren Eaton and Frederick Waugh.  

He resided at 97 Mount Hebron Road and maintained a studio in a converted barn on Dykes Lane in Montclair.

The woods and hills of the areas surrounding Montclair gave Manley ample subjects for his drawings and paintings.

In 1925 Manley had an exhibition at the Montclair Art Museum which featured 58 works including scenes of the Old Quarry, Upper Montclair, Davy's Pond, Bloomfield, Tow Path, Morris Canal, and the Old Mill, Cedar Grove.

Manley was one of the founding members of the Montclair Art Museum (1913) and in his own time was often called "The Dean of Montclair Artists."  His works are in the Montclair Art Museum's permanent collection.

Your help is needed in preserving the rich history of Little Falls.  The Little Falls Historical Society is actively seeking pictures, films, postcards, letters, business records, deeds, newspapers, annual reports, political ads, family trees, family stories or any type of historical documents pertaining to life in the Township of Little Falls to add to its collection.

If you have items to donate, please contact the Little Falls Historical Society's President John Veteri, Jr., at 973.865.3040 or write to: P.O. Box 1083, Little Falls, NJ 07424.