Anthony Buccino, Preserving Nutley’s Place in History

Anthony Buccino has made a name for himself chronicling the history of Nutley and the people who have lived in this town through books, photography and even social media. Hear more about his story and in this week’s Voices of Nutley!

Can you briefly tell us who you are, where you are from and what you do?

I am a writer-editor-photographer, and although I was raised in Belleville, I’ve spent the last four decades in Nutley. I’ve had many writing and editing positions in my career, including a dozen years editing business news at Dow Jones & Co., but my favorite work is what I do lately and that is chronicling Nutley history and news through various web sites and social media.

What inspired you to start your own business and why in this field specifically?

What are your goals for Old Nutley?

I see the framework of Old Nutley morphing into more and deeper research on specific topics. I created and maintain the Nutley Historical Society web site and the Kingsland Manor web site and am continually bombarded with more and more history of our town. We recently added a half-dozen Nutley history columns to the NHS web site. Also, the Kingsland Manor web site has the ginormous Kingsland family tree. I recently published my fifth Nutley book, NUTLEY SNAPSHOTS In Plain View with nearly 200 photos of the town. I believe it is the first of several volumes. Meanwhile, I’m working on the second volume of NUTLEY NOTABLES The Men and Women Who Made A Memorable Impact on Our Home Town, Nutley, New Jersey.

How long have you lived in North Jersey?

I have always lived in North Jersey… except for some summer vacations in northeastern Ohio. My first home was on Gless Avenue, a street that is half-Nutley, half-Belleville. My dad was born in Nutley and he grew up in that Gless Avenue house. Several of my books recount growing up in this area in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. Readers tell me they don’t have to be from here to enjoy GREETINGS FROM BELLEVILLE because I recall air raid drills, the neighborhood ice cream truck on summer nights, the TV repairman and many other common elements from those days before selfies and smartphones.

How do you like Nutley and how do you like being a business owner here?

We have always enjoyed living in Nutley. Some people see no overnight parking as a negative, but I see it as a positive. And, yes, I’ve had my share of oops-forgot-the-car-on-the-street parking tickets. But I see that as one way to keep our town safer. Look around the world, no place is perfectly safe. Nutley does the best it can. I could have my business anywhere, but I love the convenience of the Nutley Public Library. I’m there so often and the staff always gives me a big smile and always eager to help me find answers to obscure questions such as, “Who was Eaton Stone?”

How are you involved with the local community? Do you attend events?

I’m active with the Nutley Historical Society, the Historic Restoration Trust – Kingsland Manor, and the Friends of the Nutley Library, so I try to make as many of those events as I can. I’ve also spoken to many local groups, and students, about Nutley history, our military past, and lately I led a Walk & Talk through Nutley parks sharing what I’ve learned from others in the Nutley Historical Society and through my own research. There’s nothing like a walk through Nutley parks to breathe in the special atmosphere of our little town. I heartily recommend it.

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