Roosevelt, New Jersey is the only municipality in the state recognized in its entirety as a Historic District by both the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places. Originally called “Jersey Homesteads”, it was established in 1936 as a New Deal planned community for Jewish garment workers in an experiment in collective farming and manufacturing. Its name was changed to Roosevelt in 1945 and now is home to fewer than 1,000 residents and about 340 homes, making it one of the most unique small towns in New Jersey.
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Our historic town, based on the 1934-1937 Jersey Homesteads development plan, is known for its walkable layout and greenbelt design. With relatively small lots and community-owned green space behind most, this encourages an interactive community and neighborliness. Its historic design also includes the surrounding wetlands, woodlands, and farmland.
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Roosevelt’s original design emphasized protection of environmental resources and the agricultural areas with the Borough, and we continue to uphold that legacy today through land conservation efforts.
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The Fund for Roosevelt, Inc. is committed to preserving Roosevelt’s history and natural environment, as well as protecting its future as a living community, not just a bedroom town with a past. Our mission includes sustaining our farmland and wetlands, protecting our cultural and historical resources, and ensuring Roosevelt remains a model of historic preservation and environmental stewardship in New Jersey.
Photograph by Carl Mydans (1907–2004), Resettlement Administration. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA/OWI Collection, [LC-USF33-000735-M2]