Whippany is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP)[3] located within Hanover Township in Morris County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.[4] 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.[5]
Whippany, New Jersey | |
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Whippany Location in Morris County Whippany Location in New Jersey Whippany Location in the United States | |
Coordinates: 40°49′28″N 74°25′02″W / 40.82444°N 74.41722°W | |
Country | United States |
State | New Jersey |
County | Morris |
Township | Hanover |
Elevation | 233 ft (71 m) |
ZIP Code | 07981 |
FIPS code | 34-80540[1] |
GNIS feature ID | 0881770[2] |
Whippany's Whippany River is an important part of the Munsee, colonial, and industrial history of the town.[6]
The river is protected by the Whippany River Watershed Action Committee.
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.[7]
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.[6]
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.[8]
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.[9]
The New York Red Bulls U23, a development team for the New York Red Bulls, play at the team's 15-acre (6.1 ha) development facility in the township.[10]
Public schools in the area include Bee Meadow School, Mountview Road School, Salem Drive School, Memorial Junior School and Whippany Park High School.
Arrow Academy is a Christian school for grades PreK-8.
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Whippany include:
... came to United States as a young man. Manufactured horse blankets in Vermont. Came to this place (Westbrookville, New York) had a heavy loss due to fire. After the fire he went to Whippany, New Jersey. Later he returned to this place, engaged in the saw mill business and later rebuilt the mill and conducted a large blanket manufacturing business.