Park Avenue is a true county road. It was authorized by the County of Bergen in 1866, and built in 1867, as a direct route visitors could take from the Rutherford train station to the Valley Brook Park horse-racing track in what is now Lyndhurst. Naturally, businesses sprang up along the route, particularly near the train station, and when Rutherford was established as a borough in 1881, the street became the focus of the downtown area. Some retail buildings on Park Avenue are over a century old.
The street runs closer to east-west than north-south, but Rutherford residents consider it a north-south street because it divides the east and west sides of town. Several streets are split into East and West, divided at Park Avenue. Bergen County originally called it County Route 30, giving it an even number because of its east-west orientation, but in a 2003 renumbering, they went with Rutherford's north-south idea and changed it to County Route 45.
This pictorial runs from north (east) to south (west).
Bank of America, 12 Park Avenue. This was originally the home of the Rutherford Trust Company, which became People's Trust Company and has been bought out by other banks at least five times since then.
Chase Bank, 24 Park Avenue. Built in 1895 as Rutherford National Bank, later National Community Bank.
Boiling Springs Savings Bank, 23 Park Avenue. This building dates to 1939. The bank moved its branch to its Orient Way headquarters a few years later.
Rutherford Music Exchange, 39 Park Avenue, and a look back toward the train station as well as down Glen Road.
Rutherford Music Conservatory and Olympic Karate Institute, 52 Park Avenue. A former F.W. Woolworth five-and-dime store.
Corbo Jewelers, 56 Park Avenue, and Varrelmann's Bake Shop, 58 Park Avenue.
The Sylvan Building, 41 Park Avenue at Sylvan Street. This has long been a real estate office; it has been occupied by Kurgan-Bergen Realtors since about 1978.
Mignon restaurant, 72 Park Avenue. Formerly the home of Rutherford Drug. As of 2019, occupied by Matera's on Park takeout and catering.
North Fork Bank, 74 Park Avenue. Recent building; a previous building on the site housed Zimmerman's men's clothing shop, a dollar store, and Rutherford Sporting Goods over the years. The side street is Franklin Place.
82-88 Park Avenue, currently hosting a gift shop and other businesses. For decades, Baron Drug occupied 88 Park Avenue. This photo is taken from Spring Dell.
92 Park Avenue. This storefront was Fishman's five-and-dime store. Later, it became a part of the Mandee Shops women's clothing chain, but the location was closed after the December 2006 death of the chain's founder, Leon Mandelbaum.
A view from The Terrace toward the train station. Village Gourmet, 77 Park Avenue, is in the foreground.
The Handler Building, 102 Park Avenue. The building goes back to about 1900.
The Arcade, 110 Park Avenue. This building has been demolished; a new building arose around 2018.
Rutherford Presbyterian Church, from Park Avenue.
Paisano restaurant, 152 Park Avenue, and adjacent storefronts.
Rutherford Free Public Library, 160 Park Avenue.
Grace Dickinson Wing addition to the library.
World War I monument, looking toward the Presbyterian church.
U.S. Post Office, 164 Park Avenue.
Lincoln Park.
Rutherford borough hall, 176 Park Avenue.
Rutherford Police station, 184 Park Avenue.
Female Fitness spa and The Ultimate Experience salon, 196 Park Avenue. Formerly an A&P market.
Masonic Temple, 169 Park Avenue.
Park Sunoco, 216 Park Avenue, and Rite Aid, 208 Park Avenue.
Dairy Queen, 228 Park Avenue. From mid-November to late December, Christmas trees are sold in the parking lot.
Kearny Federal Savings, 248 Park Avenue.
Rutherford Wine Shop, 270 Park Avenue; Bijou Nails and Addison Shop, 268 Park Avenue.
Condominium apartments, 253 Park Avenue. Formerly the site of a car dealership, most recently Park Avenue Mazda.
Storefronts, 280-288 Park Avenue.
Firemen's Memorial Park.
Krauszer's Food Store, 275 Park Avenue. Formerly the site of Pasquin Motors.
Daruma restaurant, 310 Park Avenue. Formerly the site of Borschneck & Nott florist. The restaurant has changed hands several times since.
Condominium townhouses, 317 Park Avenue.
354 Park Avenue.
414 Park Avenue.
Apartments, 405 Park Avenue.
NJ 3 (overpass)