Whippany, New Jersey

Whippany, New Jersey
Whippany's Central Park
Whippany's Central Park
Whippany is located in Morris County, New Jersey
Whippany
Whippany
Location in Morris County
Whippany is located in New Jersey
Whippany
Whippany
Location in New Jersey
Whippany is located in the United States
Whippany
Whippany
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 40°49′28″N 74°25′02″W
Country United States
State New Jersey
County Morris
Township Hanover
Elevation
233 ft (71 m)
ZIP Code
07981
FIPS code 34-80540
GNIS feature ID 0881770

Whippany is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Hanover Township in Morris County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Whippany's name is derived from the Whippanong Native Americans, a tribe that once inhabited the area. Whippanong meant "place of the willows", named for the trees growing along the banks of the Whippany River.

History

The Whippany River as seen from the Frelinghuysen Arboretum.

Whippany's Whippany River is an important part of the Munsee, colonial, and industrial history of the town.

The river is protected by the Whippany River Watershed Action Committee.

Munsee Lenape

Circa 1000, Whippany, along with most of northern New Jersey, was inhabited by the Munsee Lenape. Circa 1500, all of New Jersey was part of the Lenapehoking.

The Munsee harvested mussels from the Whippany River. Arrowheads found in Munsee encampments throughout the nearby Washington Valley suggest that they hunted wolf, elk, and wild turkey for game.

Colonial settlement

The earliest European settlers to live along the Whippany River can be traced back to 1685. The Whippany River was an integral part of life in the area; it provided water power for the various mills which operated in the town.

Modern history

The Seeing Eye, the first guide dog school for the blind in the United States, was located in Whippany between 1931 and 1966, before moving to its current campus in nearby Morris Township, adjacent to Fosterfields living historical farm.

Education

  • Whippany Park High School, public high school
  • Arrow Academy, Christian school (Pre-K-8)
  • Memorial Junior School, public middle school
  • Salem Drive School, public elementary school
  • Bee Meadow School, public elementary school
  • Mountview Road School, public elementary school

Notable organizations

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Whippany include: