West Caldwell was originally incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 24, 1904, from portions of Caldwell Township (now known as Fairfield Township).[22] In 1981, the borough was one of seven Essex County municipalities to pass a referendum to become a township, joining four municipalities that had already made the change, of what would ultimately be more than a dozen Essex County municipalities to reclassify themselves as townships in order take advantage of federal revenue sharing policies that allocated townships a greater share of government aid to municipalities on a per capita basis.[23][24][25][26] The borough was named for Caldwell Township, which in turn was named for Presbyterian minister James Caldwell.[27][28]

Totowa was formed as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 15, 1898, from portions of Wayne Township and the now-defunct Manchester Township.[21][22]

Franklin Lakes was formed by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 11, 1922, from portions of Franklin Township, based on the results of a referendum held on April 11, 1922.[21][22][23] The borough was named for William Franklin, the illegitimate son of Benjamin Franklin, a steadfast Loyalist who served as the last colonial Governor of New Jersey.[24][25]

The North American headquarters of Mondelēz International (parent company of Nabisco) and the pharmaceutical company Novartis are located in East Hanover.

Pompton Lakes was established on February 26, 1895 from portions of Pompton Township, based on the results of a referendum held three days earlier.[23] The borough was named for the Pompton people, a sub-tribe of Native Americans who lived in the area.[24] It was the first borough to be formed in Passaic County as part of the “boroughitis” that had struck the state at the time. Pompton Lakes did not acquire territory from more than one township, which would have entitled the borough to a seat on the County’s Board of Chosen Freeholders.[25]

Ocean City originated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on May 3, 1884, from portions of Upper Township, based on results from a referendum on April 30, 1884, and was reincorporated as a borough on March 31, 1890. Ocean City was incorporated as a city, its current government form, on March 25, 1897.[21][22] The city is named for its location on the Atlantic Ocean.[23][24]

Westwood was officially incorporated as a borough on May 8, 1894, from portions of Washington Township, early during the “Boroughitis” phenomenon then sweeping through Bergen County, in which 26 boroughs were formed in the county in 1894 alone.[25][26] Isaac D. Bogert served as the first mayor of the Borough.[27] In April 1909, Westwood was enlarged through the annexation of the “Old Hook” section of the borough of Emerson,[28] and on September 24, 1957, portions of the borough were exchanged with Emerson.[25]

Wanaque was incorporated as an independent borough on February 23, 1918, when Pompton Township was split up into three boroughs, along with Bloomingdale and Ringwood, and affirmed by a referendum held on March 22, 1918.[23] The borough’s name Wanaque (original pronunciation ‘Wa Na Kee’) is thought to have been derived from a Lenni Lenape Native American word meaning “land of sassafras”.[24][25][26]

Gloucester City was incorporated by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 25, 1868, from the remaining portions of Union Township, which was then dissolved. Additional territory was annexed in 1925 from Centre Township and in 1927 from Haddon Township.[21] The city’s name derives from Gloucester, England.[22][23]

Ridgefield was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on May 26, 1892, from portions of Ridgefield Township.[21][22] The borough was named for the area’s terrain.[23]