History of Bergen County Towns
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Alpine
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The borough known as Alpine was settled around 1683 but was not incorporated until April 8th, 1903. One of the oldest still standing buildings is the Blackledge-Kearney House which was also known as “Cornwallis’ Headquarters”, it was built around 1760. One of the most notable people from Alpine was the sugar baron Manuel Rionda who resided at their Rio Vista estate in Alpine.
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More so, the first New York family to establish a “country seat” , a vacation home on the Palisades, was that of Joseph Lamb, founder of J. & R. Lamb Studios, one of the most prominent stained glass studios in the country. The Lamb family built “Falcon Lodge” near today’s Tenafly–Alpine border around 1860. In the early 17th century, the Alpine area was known primarily for a dock built by a Dutch settler named Frederich Kloester in 1685. It enabled local farmers to ship their produce to New York City. The dock vanished long ago, but one of Alpine’s main arteries is called Closter Dock Road. Closter Dock Road was used by troops during the Revolutionary War.
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Just after the Civil War, the Erie Railroad arrived in neighboring Closter, making Alpine more accessible to New York City. It was followed by the construction of several large estates atop the Palisades. Among the estate builders was Charles Nordhoff, the New York Herald editor who sent Henry M. Stanley to Africa in 1869 to find Dr. David Livingstone. Nordhoff’s wife, Lida, is said to have given Alpine its name because the Palisades reminded her of the Swiss Alps.
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Allendale
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The approximately three square miles that are known today as Allendale were part of a vast wilderness known only to the native American Indians until the early 1700′s when a few adventurous settlers began to carve out farms and build homesteads in the vicinity. It includes some of Allendale’s earliest settlers included family’s names Lauback, Van Houten, Vanderbeek, Garrison, Storms, Winter, Wilson, Pulis, Smith, Van Blarcom, Crouter, Ackerman, Powell, Quackenbush, Zabriskie, Christopher, Van Horn Mallinson, and Fell. In 1767, Allendale became Franklin Township and a large section of Franklin Township, including part of Allendale, became Ho-Ho-Kus Township. Allendale was part of a "precinct" or a large area with no official local government.
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Allendale was well-known for its strawberries, it was a farming community, and they shipped their products to nearby markets in Paterson, Newark, and New York. By 1859, when railroads began bringing commuters to Allendale. New Yorkers began to settle here because they were looking for a healthy country life and its neighboring towns. Some wealthy and affluent people started to established summer homes and come to vacation here. In the 1880s, Allendale gained a reputation as the “Newport of Bergen County.”
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Bergenfield
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At first it was named “Schraalenburg” as it was settled by prosperous Dutch farmers. Later in 1872, Jersey City and Albany railroad built a train station and they named it “Bergen Field” for lack of a better term which suited the town well as it was all fields you could see. Later on it was modified to “Bergenfield”.
The historic marker of the cemetery in front of the church states that many Revolutionary War soldiers are buried here in Bergenfield. However, there are no identifying markers on the graves of the Revolutionary War soldiers in the cemetery. There is only one identified grave of a Revolutionary War soldier in the cemetery, James Christie.
Revolutionary War officer James Christie (September 6, 1744 - July 23, 1817) is buried in a grave located just behind the church. At this time, his grave is not marked as a Revolutionary War veteran. However, his tombstone does identify him as Captain James Christie. The church building was built in 1799, with additions and alterations made in 1866 - 1867. It replaced an earlier church structure that was built in 1728, which stood 150 feet to the east of the current church building.
Founded: 1903
Incorporated: April 8, 1903
Found: 1693
Incorporated: November 8, 1894
Founded:June 25, 1894
Incorporated: June 25, 1894
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Bogota
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Located between Teaneck and Hackensack, Bogota is a small town with a quiet atmosphere that is perfect for small families that are looking to live outside the fast paced cities that are nearby. Within the town of Bogota are small fabulous businesses and restaurants that welcome anybody who visits. Even though the town is relatively small, the town holds a great amount of history that dates back before the 1800s.
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Bogota might be tiny but it is quite mighty, the history of the people who inhabited the area were The “Hackensack” Native Americans who were in Bogota for many centuries before the Europeans arrived. They were the members of the local village of the Lenape Nation who operated all of New Jersey until the Dutch arrived. The Lenape Nation were peaceful people but they were destined to be victims of a terrible tragedy of being forced off the land. With the discovery of the land in the early 1600s, it brought a fast evolution of what European immigrants could do. The Borough of Bogota is named in honor of the Bogart family who were the first European families to occupy these lands. The ancestors of the family came to the United States from the Netherlands in search of new homes and investment opportunities. Bogota was incorporated in 1893 and in 1900 the borough had no churches and only two commercial businesses which were the Bogota Paper Company and the Riverside Planing Mill
Founded: 1894
Incorporated: November 14, 1894
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Carlstadt
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Most sources indicate that the community was named for Dr. Carl Klein, the leader of a group of early German settlers who led the project to establish the community. Henry Gannett stated that the name derived from the city of Karlovac in Croatia, which was known as "Carlstadt" in German. The association bought 140 acres of land for $16,000. Carlstadt was officially incorporated as its own municipality in 1894. ï·ŸHYPERLINK "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Gannett"
Another integral part of the history of Carlstadt is the Turnverein. The Turnverein began in 1857 as a meeting place for residents and was a place for exercise, singing and socializing. They helped fund the town's early schools and important borough departments. The current Turnverein on Broad Street was built in 1900, and after a fire in 1952, the Turnverein was almost torn down. However, members decided to rebuild the hall. Throughout the town's history, German was a mandatory class in school. The Carlstadt Free Press was printed in German until the early 20th century. German stopped being taught in the schools after World War I.
Immigrants of other nationalities began to move in throughout the 19th and 20th century. The Hackensack and New York Railroad, now part of the Erie Lackawanna Railway, ran through the center of town and the Carlstadt stop was a popular destination for recent immigrants. The citizens of the borough were farmers, factory workers, dairy producers, textile workers, button factory workers, bakers, delicatessen owners and everything in between. Today, the borough's historical society housed in a firehouse with Germen architect tells the story of the borough through pictures, artifacts and historical documents.
Founded: March 12, 1860
Incorporated: June 27, 1894
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Cliffside Park
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At the time of the American Revolution, evidence points out there were only three or four cabins that were built in what is now the Cliffside Park. In 1892, school No.1 was built at the intersection of Adolphus Avenue and Gorge Road. Later it served as the Cliffside Park Borough Hall. Initially, Cliffside Park was a part of Ridgefield Township. In 1893 and 1894, the first attempts were made to petition for independence from the township of Ridgefield and to form the Borough of Cliffside Park which at the time, was called The Cliff-side of Ridgefield or Grantwood section of town. In January 15, 1895 that the Borough of Cliffside Park was incorporated as separate town. The first mayor of Cliffside Park was August E. Neumann, sworn officially on March 18, 1895 at Nagels Hotel.
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In 1895, the steam trains and trolley cars came to town, running through Cliffside up to the Palisade junction. In April 1896, commuter service from Edgewater Ferry to Leonia, and Fort Lee started operation. Then in July 1896, this service was extended to Englewood. In 1899, John Winterburn who owned and operated the first ferry to transport people to work from Cliffside Park to New York, build a home for his wife called, “The Wee Castle” because of its design. Also, Cliffside Park was home to the former Palisades Amusement Park, part of which was in adjoining Fort Lee. The 38-acre park operated from 1898 until 1971, remaining one of the most-visited amusement parks in the country until its closure, after which the rides and attractions were removed, and the site replaced by high-rise apartment buildings. In 1901, on September 22, Trinity Lutheran Church was dedicated, it’s the Cliffside Park’s oldest church located on Columbia Avenue. Cliffside Park has come a long way from a town that consisted of farms and woodlands. Located between the George Washington Bridge and the Lincoln Tunnel, it is home to many New York City business people who find it an easy commute.
Founded: 1895
Incorporated: January 15, 1895
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Closter
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The town of Closter was settled around 1710 by the Dutch colonists. Here most would spend their time farming to support themselves. That wasn’t the only way they supported themselves, the real money was in raising cattle. For a long period of time this settlement was very isolated due to the vast amount of time and energy it took to get here from the current up and rising communities, like New York as an example.
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Around 1859 the troubles of having to venture far out to Closter was almost gone with the introduction of the Northern Railroad. This also brought along many new faces and spread the word that it was a garden paradise with potential. One person that took advantage of this was a man named John Henry Stephens, and he did such by acquiring large amounts of land. Thankfully he was a carpenter and businessman from Manhattan, which aided him in his idea of building houses and villas and expanding the town all while making money out of it. The mansion where he resided was known as the jewel of Durie Avenue and Knickerbocker Road, since it overlooked the town of Closter.
Founded: 1904
Incorporated: January 1, 1904
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Cresskill
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The town's name is derived from “cress” which refers to the watercress that grew in its streams, and “kill” which referred to the stream that passed through the town. It is in Bergen County, NJ. In 1904 a part of the borough was annexed by the town of Alpine.
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The town’s history does not date back prior to 1894. Located in Cresskill as well as Dumont, the neighboring town, is Camp Merritt which was a military base during world war I. This camp in its inception once had a capacity for holding 42,000 officers and enlisted men. The camp was one of three camps that were under control of the New York port of embarkation. About 1 million troops headed to war in Europe had passed through Camp Merritt. In 1919, the camp was decommissioned.
Founded: May 8, 1894
Incorporated: May 8, 1894
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Dumont
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Dumont is among the famous towns of Bergen County. The history that is shared in this area is amazing. In 1801 a church was built so that a congregation could have their own. It was called the Dutch Reformed Church and it still stands today on the corner of Madison Ave and Washington Ave as the Old North Reformed Church. When the railroads opened up after the Civil War there was a large influx of wealthy people. Also with them were extensive amounts of developers. There seems to be a theme between wealthy people and land developers. One builds and the other purchases. This will lead to Dumont growing its population exponentially until they establish it finally as Dumont.
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In 1917 the next big wave of people came when Camp Merritt was set up in and around Dumont. Camp Merritt was a massive station for military soldiers during WWI. This caused business to be created all over to help with supplying soldiers stationed. Dumont was a madhouse during those times. There was a railroad cutting right through backyards and front yards. Once the barracks were all gone, the town of Dumont went back to being residential and quiet. That is the way it has been ever since
Founded: June 8, 1677
Incorporated:
As Borough of Schraalenburgh in 1894
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East Rutherford​
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By an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 17, 1889, a portion of the old Union Township was incorporated under the name of Boiling Springs Township. The new township took its name from a spring in the community. On March 28, 1894, the Borough of East Rutherford was created, based on the results of a referendum held the previous day, and Boiling Springs Township was dissolved. While there was no change in its borders, the name and form of government were changed. The borough was the second formed during the "Boroughitis" phenomenon then sweeping through Bergen County, in which 26 boroughs were formed in the county in 1894 alone.
East Rutherford is the town that still has a remaining piece from the Revolutionary War. For example, the Kip House that was built by 1743, during the Revolutionary War, it was one of the dozen of home along the old Polify Road, which traced the ridgeline from Hackensack to Newark and served as the residential hub for Bergen County’s political and economic elite until the Civil War.
Founded:
April 17, 1889
Incorporated: March 28, 1894
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Edgewater​
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Edgewater was first settled by the Lenape Indians who traded up and down the Hudson river. They referred to it as kin-nas-na-ki-king. The Gold Coast area was settled by Europeans in the mid-1600s, and in 1693, Edgewater became part of Hackensack Township, which was chartered after Bergen County (formed in 1682) was split into two parts. In 1871, Hackensack Township was split into three new townships: Palisades, Englewood and Ridgefield. Ridgefield, which had been the southern most portion of Hackensack Township, was then split into several governments under an act that allowed townships to subdivide sections into boroughs based on size and population. One of those boroughs was Undercliff, which was formed in 1894 and renamed Edgewater five years later.
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The ferry service at Burdett's Landing, which was located at the southern base of the bluff of Fort Lee, proved valuable to the American cause during the Revolutionary War. Etienne Burdett began ferry service between north Edgewater and the island of Manhattan in 1758. His gambrel-roofed house in what is now the Edgewater Colony stood until 1899.
Edgewater was incorporated as a municipality on December 7, 1894, from portions of Ridgefield Township as the Borough of Undercliff, based on the results of a referendum that passed two days earlier. The borough was formed during the "Boroughitis" phenomenon then sweeping through Bergen County, in which 26 boroughs were formed in the county in 1894 alone. The borough's name was changed to Edgewater on November 8, 1899. The borough was named for its location on the Hudson River.
Founded: 1871
Incorporated: December 7, 1894
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Elmwood Park
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Originally part of the Dutch colony it evidently fell into British hands in 1664. The colony was the divided into two where Elmwood Park fell into East Jersey in the year 1676. Earliest settlements in East Jersey developed mostly on the western side and this immediate area was attractively situated between two rivers later known as the Passaic and Saddle Rivers. It was part of a tract that was settled in the early 1700s by Dutch farmers. The tract was then incorporated as part of Saddle River Township for the next 200 years.
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A major influence was the Dundee Water Power and Land Company, which built a dam for waterpower across the Passaic River south of what is today Elmwood Park. From the dam it created what appeared to be a lake thus the name “Dundee Lake” was put for the town around 1860. Dundee Lake residents voted on April 18, 1916, to secede from Saddle River Township. The new town was quickly incorporated as the Borough of East Paterson. One year later, residents from the Rosemont section of Saddle River Township voted to be annexed to East Paterson, extending the new Borough's borders.
Founded: 1664
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Incorporated: 1916
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Emerson
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Prior to the first non-native settlers, the town was part of a tribal territory of Lenape Indians. There's no record of them on whether they made settlements here or just passed through. But we are reminded by their presence by Kinderkamack Road, which gets its name from a Lenape word for the local area. There was no "Emerson" when nonnative settlers came to this region. It was known by unofficial names, the aforementioned Kinderkamack on the west, which includes parts of present-day Oradell and River Edge, and Old Hook on the east, "hook" means an angle or corner from a dutch word.
The first person to make his home and farm in the old hook area was William Rutan who settled around 1748. Throughout the eighteenth and the nineteenth century, the communities of Kinderkamack and Old Hook were rural and agricultural, almost entirely populated by the Jersey Dutch. Despite the name, not everyone was ethnically Dutch; many, like the Demarests, DeBauns, and Loziers, were French, and one prominent family, the Zabriskies, was Polish.
Founded: 1664
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Incorporated: 1916
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Englewood
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Before it was found by the Europeans, the Native Americans, which was part of the Delaware Nation settled here first. They were called “Lenni Lenape” or the “very original people”. They called New Jersey back then “Scheyechbi” and it translates to “Land Along the Water”. In 1607, comes along Henry Hudson sailing, eventually what is now known as “Hudson River”. He was welcomed by trading with green tobacco for knives and beads.
Hudson described them as “civil”. However, eventually once the Europeans settled, a war broke out between them. Native American population went from two thousand to only fifty in 18 “The Dutch West India Company established a trading post on high ground in present-day Hudson County, calling it Bergen, which meant "hill" in Dutch.”. European population increased when the Dutch surrounded their New World colonies to the British as well as New Netherland on the west side of the Hudson was renamed as the Province of New Jersey. The English wanted to encourage more settlement so they gave out granting rights and land to the Dutch and the French, as well.
Founded: 1947
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Incorporated: 1899
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Englewood Cliffs
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Before 1800s, the town was part of Englewood and Palisades, so there was the Lenni Lenape, the "very original people" (a part of the Delaware Nation of Native Americans) that came from the west and settled here. In 1664, when the Dutch surrendered their New World colonies to the British and the part of New Netherland on the west side of the Hudson that was renamed the Province of New Jersey, the European population began to increase. (cityofenglewood.org).
Undercliff and Coytesville were the names of the two settlements that comprised the Borough of Englewood Cliffs. Undercliff was settled around 1825 and consisted of a few small fishing villages lining the Hudson River coast. It would later be part of the Palisades Interstate Park. Coytesville is located at the southern border of Englewood Cliffs but the larger part of which lies in the Borough of Fort Lee. In 1851, the area was divided into lots. In 1895, the current Borough of Englewood Cliffs was incorporated. It had formerly been part of Englewood Township and Palisades Township, formed in 1872 from portions of Hackensack Township was settled as early as 1825 by people of predominantly Dutch ancestry. Englishman Joseph Coyte presented a speculative parcel of lots for the village of which the northernmost part lies in Englewood Cliffs
Founded:
May 10, 1895
Incorporated: May 10, 1895
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Fair Lawn
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The first settlers in Fair Lawn were the Lenni-Lenapi, native tribes of northern New Jersey. Without them, Fair Lawn’s history would have been not completed. Their trails, campsites, rock shelters and hunting grounds became the roads and towns we use today. Then, first Dutch settlers made their way up to the Hackensack and Passaic Rivers to establish trading posts with the Hackinghaesaky Indians. As settlements grew, the Lenni-Lenapi were forced out of Fair Lawn, leaving behind their Indian origin. Typically, River Road, one of the oldest roads in the eastern part of our country, was once an Indian trail, leading to the "Great Rock" tribal council site in Glen Rock.
Fair Lawn was known as Slooterdam as late as 1791, and River Road was called the "Slauterdam Road" until after the Civil War. Fair Lawn have the oldest structure standing called, the Garreston-Brocker home, now known as the Garreston Forge and Farm Restoration, on River Road, south of Morlot Avenue which was built between 1708-1730. The General of the Bergen Militia was Andrew Hopper, whose family had settled in Fair Lawn in 1711 and had owned large tracts of land in the area. Hopper Avenue was named in honor of his service. By 1861, there were about 80 homes, most of them farmhouses. Fair Lawn became known as "Small Lots". One of the farmhouses still standing today is the Garret-Hopper-Bogert house built in the early 1800s, and two Terhune houses on Saddle River Road. Fair Lawn was incorporated as a Borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 6, 1924, as "Fairlawn", from portions of Saddle River Township. The name was taken from Fairlawn, David Acker's estate home, that was built in 1865 and later became the Fair Lawn Municipal Building.
Founded: 1924
Incorporated: March 6, 1924
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Fort Lee
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In 1756 Stephen Bourdette had bought 400 acres of land which consisted of Edgewater & Fort Lee Combined. Bourdettes house was the only shelter for miles and became George Washington's home and headquarters for the war. During the Revolutionary War, they needed to stop the British from sailing up the Hudson River so they built a fort on one side and the other in New York. They named the town Fort Constitution but later changed it to Fort Lee. They named the town Fort Lee after General Charles Lee. Although he named it Fort Lee back in 1776,
Fort Lee was later founded on March 29, 1904. George Washington and his troops spent most of their time in New Jersey due to trying to stop the British from going up hudson. After a while and Fort Washington was taken over, he realized that Fort Lee was at a loss and he needed to retreat all of his soldiers. Over 6,000 soldiers were sent across the Hudson River where they were ambushed and captured by the British.
Founded: March 29, 1904
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Incorporated: March 29, 1904
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Franklin Lakes
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Franklin Lakes was formed by an act of NJ Legislatures in 1922. The borough was named after William Franklin, the son of Benjamin Franklin. In the 17th Century, Lenape Indians traveled all the land of what today is known as Franklin Lakes, back then known as Franklin Township. Slowly, the Dutch began arriving in this territory, by 1701, the place was full of Dutch. Farming was very common for the people that were first installed in this area. The first couple inhabitants were named Van Winkle, Van Houten, Ackerman, Van Blarcom, etc. These people built farmhouses that are still standing up today, they are very important to their community.
The first business ever established In Franklin Township was called “Daniel Youman’s Grist Mill”. Railroad stations were built in 1869. Franklin Township was very known for its progress throughout the years, from the creation of Railroads to the construction of houses. The industrial revolution brought wealth to this place. Big houses and mansion began to appear. In 1922, it became a Borough, separated from Franklin township, meaning it was incorporated hat year. William V. Pulis was the first Mayor of Franklin Lakes. The Borough is now known for its beautiful mansions.
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Glen Rock
Glen Rock was incorporated on September 14, 1894. Is a 2.7 square mile borough in Bergen County, NJ. Its name comes from a “glacial erractic”i approximately 15,000 years ago by the Wisconsin glacier. (Glen Rock Historical and Preservation Society). Is a family oriented and inclusive community close to transportation to New York City, Hoboken and Secaucus.
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Hackensack
The city of Hackensack has been around for many years. In 1693, the Native Americans settled here first and then the Dutch. The town's name means "mouth of a river" in the language of the Achkinheshsky tribe. The Native Americans and the Dutch got along together and lived alongside. After they arrived, they called the region "New Barbadoes" instead of Hacquinsacq from the original name. It became the Bergen County Capital in 1709, and today, Hackensack is the Bergen County Courthouse.
The town's population causes business that revolves around the courthouse to triple during workdays. The British took over Hackensack in the mid-1600s but retained its Dutch imprint. In the mid-17 century, when the American Revolution ended, Hackensack became known as "an area of unrest." George Washington slept in Hackensack, and HQ was in the center of town in a camp on the green, which is by the courthouse.
Founded: 1772
Incorporated: March 11, 1922
Founded: September 14, 1894
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Incorporated: September 14, 1894
Founded: 1665
Incorporated: October 31, 1693
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Hasbrouck Heights
Hasbrouck Heights is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 11,842. The area that would become the borough had been known as Corona from the mid-1800s and grew up around the two local railroad stations. The name "Hasbrouck" was chosen in 1889 to honor J. Dillon Hasbrouck, general manager of the New Jersey and New York Railroad. "Heights" was added to avoid confusion with a similarly named community in upstate New York.
Hasbrouck Heights was formed by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on August 2, 1894. Hasbrouck Hts. in 1894 separated from Lodi Township, holding an election on July 31 of that year, and the election was carried in favor of incorporation, and the boro was duly incorporated. This district prior to 1870 was a farming community, comprising such families as Abraham A. Ackerman, Chritian P. Terhune, Enoch Vreeland, John Van Bussum. Frank Sinatra spent three years, from 1941-1944, living in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ, with his wife and oldest daughter. It has been said that the time Sinatra spent in New Jersey is some of the richest in the singer’s family life.
Founded: 1889
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Incorporated: July 31, 1894
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Hillsdale
Before any settlers arrived, many think that the Lenape Indians roamed the Bergen county area. People believe this because of the Indian artifacts that have been found in that area. In 1630 the first settlers arrived. They were Dutch and named Bergen county after their fatherland community. Hillsdale had seen some early war days. Before Hillsdale was Hillsdale it was called Harrington, township and was created from saddle river. In that area war was fought. The Baylor massacre on Sept 28 1778, occurred on a farm in river vale called Hering farm. Many people fled to Canada or became spies for the British military because of their disagreement with the war.
In 1898, just prior to the Spanish-American War, Washington Township had shrunk to the territory which started the communities of Hillsdale, River Vale, Emerson and Washington Township. The name Hillsdale was named after a school built on Pascack road in 1856 March 25th. The residents of the area petitioned the state legislative which was passed. The town was given all the land between Hackensack river and Orvil township. One of the biggest reasons for immigrants migrating to Hillsdale is because of the railroad that went through the area
Founded: 1855
Incorporated: 1898
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Ho-Ho-Kus
The town was named Ho-Ho-Kus due to popular vote on the matter after the residents went to the polls to determine the name and voted to have the name for the town be Ho-Ho-Kus. Just like other names of Indian origin the meaning behind the name has many explanations but the most popular one is that it is a contraction of Mehokhokus or Mah-Ho-Ho-Kus, which is a Delaware Indian term meaning "the Red Cedar. The town’s history began when the Native Americans called the Lenni Lenape who are also knowns as Delaware Indians started creating a living here.
The Wearimus Road in Ho-Ho-Kus is named Chief Wearimus who resided east of the Saddle River with his tribe in early years. The Lenape Chief Oratam of the Hackensack Indians played a significant role in settlement of Bergen County due to his decision to negotiate peace with the early Dutch and English settlers. Even though there are no indications for when Ho-Ho-Kus was initially occupied by Native American, it is noted that most of them had left New Jersey by 1730. In 1758, the Minsies also gave up their land but claimed their authority over fishing and hunting. Immigrants that were Dutch, English, and Polish started living here too later on.
Founded: October 12, 1908
Incorporated: 1922
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Kearny
In the early years, Kearny was a factory town. Back in 1875, there were two large mills in Kearny which brought thousands of Scotish immigrants. Most of them went to compete in the National Association Football League soccer teams at Kearny. A year later the Mile End Thread Mills began operating which would have several hundred operators employed. In 1883 England’s Marshall Flax Spinning Company erected a huge plant at Kearny called the Linen Thread Company. Their need for skilled flax spinners brought an influx of workers from other British Isles areas.
The families of those early textile workers became the core of the present community of Kearny. The Puraline Manufacturing Company, later known as the Arlington Company had acquired a large area of land east of the Arlington Station on the Erie Railroad that stretched deep into the meadowland north of the railroad embankment. In 1887, Sir Michael Nairn founded Nairn Linoleum Company which gave further impetus to local industrial development. Kearny was producing professional players for the New York Giants, the Detroit Tigers and the U.S. soccer team in the 1990 World Cup
Founded: April 8, 1867
Incorporated: January 19, 1899
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Little Ferry
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Little Ferry was first a part of New Barbados. Little Ferry later became part of Lodi Township when the township was formed in 1825. Incorporated in 1894, the district is named for the ropepulled Little Ferry that crossed the Hackensack River between 1659 and 1826. A bridge was built in 1828 connecting Little Ferry and Ridgefield Park via Bergen Turnpike, a toll road. One of the four toll houses along its route is the current location of Tracey's restaurant.
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The ferry played an important role in the revolution. It was used on November 20, 1776 by a detachment of Washington troops fleeing from the advance of the British Army. Troops marched through what is now Washington Avenue and Liberty Street, toward Hackensack to join the other troops, and until the 1860s, Little Ferry was sparsely populated until the city it is today became
Founded: On September 18, 1894
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incorporated: On September 18, 1894
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Lodi
New Jersey, compared to the other states is one of the smallest, however it holds a lot of our nation’s history. Town to town there is unraveled history and lore that makes up where we live. Lodi, New Jersey is one of those towns that have made a mark in our history books.
Lodi or Lodi Township was created by an act that was passed by New Jersey Legislation on March 1st, 1826. It was created from the southern portion of at the time New Barbados
Township. Later, December 22nd, 1894, it was incorporated as the Borough of Lodi. There are many things that make Lodi historical. First one being that the name Lodi comes from a city in Italy known as Lodi and it is part of the Lombardy Region of Italy.
On February 22nd, 1840 Hudson County was created from portions of Bergen Township, which was founded in 1693 and from the southern portion of Lodi Township.
Founded:
March 1st, 1826
Incorporated: December 22, 1894
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Lyndhurst
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Leni Lenape Native Americans called this area Mighgecticock. Captain Sanford purchased the whole land in the year 1668 and named it Bergen County. In 1852, the Union Township was formed, Lyndhurst and other towns that surround Lyndhurst were incorporated that same day. All the towns made part of Union Township. In the 1860’s Lyndhurst began to be known by tourists. People that came from other countries would stay in Lyndhurst and go and explore New York City. The swimming in the Passaic River would also be very attracted by many people, and Lyndhurst is near that river. Many hotels were built on Park Ave and Riverside Ave.
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Lyndhurst did not get their name until May 15, 1917. The area was reincorporated by an act of the New Jersey Legislature as the Township of Lyndhurst, based on the results of a referendum held on the week before that. This was the year when Lyndhurst was founded, in 1917. Before it made part of the Union Township. The first couple families that lived in the town were Dutch origin, some Polish immigrants also began to arrive for working purposes since the railroads were created a couple of years before that. Once the 20th Century began, a company called William Burke built a lot of houses and many structures.
Founded: 1668
Incorporated: May 15, 1917
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Mahwah
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Mahwah, New Jersey, is Bergen County’s largest municipality. Mahwah was founded as a Hohokus township on April 9th, 1849. The town was also given other names such as Ramapo and Hoppers. It was incorporated as Mawah in 1944. Mahwah was an early Indian name for an area in the Ramapo Valley. The name Mahwah is an Indian word that means "smiling fields" or "a meeting place," which was given to an Indian field that was in the vicinity. In fact, the Leni Lenape Indians called it Mawewi.
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The town started off as belonging to several different territories with different names. In 1700, the first white settler, Blandina Bayard, established a trading post there. In the time period of the 1700s and 1800s, Mahwah grew from a small part of Franklin Township. The town then originated from Hohokus Township. Mahwah remained in Hohokus Township while many towns started to break off. This left Mahwah as the largest area of land in what is now Bergen County. Mahwah started to become an independent community, and became its own official town in 1944.
Founded:
April 9th, 1849
Incorporated: 1944
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Maywood
Ever since moving into Maywood, New Jersey, I have enjoyed everything about the small peaceful town. Located in Bergen County, the town consists of small parks, small restaurants, and a small train museum that has a historical meaning behind it. Although living here in the town of Maywood, there is not much history that I know about it. With that being said, I will share with you the facts about the history behind my hometown of Maywood, New Jersey.
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Dating back to the 1700s, Dutch families from New York came to New Jersey to settle along West Hackensack which is now present day Maywood. Settlers began building homes and farms in what would become the New Jersey Midland Railway. Present day Maywood was formerly part of the New Barbados Township but when Hackensack became a village the west part of Hackensack became Midland Township in 1871. In 1894, residents voted to incorporate the area of Maywood and it became into the Borough of Maywood the same year. Maywood is among the smallest municipalities in Bergen County and the historical railroad station still exists today as a museum.
Founded: 1700’s
Incorporated: June 29, 1894
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Midland Park
Midland Park was named after the New Jersey Midland Railway, which operated the railroad that passed through the borough area in the 1870s while the name is said to be focused elsewhere on "amid Bergen hills". Originally settled by the Dutch, on September 6, 1894, Midland Park was incorporated as a borough, at the height of the "Boroughitis" craze then spreading through Bergen County that contributed to the formation of over two dozen new municipalities in the county in that year alone. The new borough consisted of both Franklin Township and Ridgewood Township portions. In April 1920, the borough expanded by incorporating another part of Franklin Township. On June 9, 1931 Midland Park purchased additional land from Wyckoff Township.
Founded: 1870’s
Incorporated: September 6, 1894
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Moonachie
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Moonachie is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, in the Hackensack River watershed. In 1669, Moonachie was owned by just one man; Captain John Berry, a fur trader. It was the island of Moonachie back then bordered by Berry's Creek, Indian Path, Losing Creek and the Hackensack River. Indians of the Six Nations Branch inhabited the rich cedar forests. Rumors and stated as tradition, is that the borough was named after Monaghie, a chief of the Native Americans who inhabited the local cedar forests.
During the American Revolution, Moonachie was part of the Township of Bergen. When the British invaded Bergen County in November 1776, Moonachie was on their map.
When Washington's army was evacuating the area, a detachment crossed at Little Ferry and marched up Washington Avenue to Liberty Street on its way to Hackensack. During the revolution, Moonachie’s main role was helping to feed the army. At first, no education was offered in Moonachie. In 1830, under Lodi Township, Moonachie opened its first school, in the kitchen of Peter Allen, which was later known as the Blauvelt Estate off Moonachie Road. In 1898, the last school to be built under the auspices of Lodi Township was made on Redneck Avenue. On April 11, 1910, Moonachie was finally incorporated as a borough.
Founded: May 3, 1910
Incorporated:May 3, 1910
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New Milford
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New Milford is a borough in Bergen County, located in the northeastern section of New Jersey and just north of Hackensack. The borough borders Bergenfield, Dumont, Oradell, River Edge and Teaneck. Main roads in New Milford include River Road, Madison Avenue, Milford Avenue and Boulevard. The current mayor is Michael J. Putrino whose term will end on 12/31/2022.
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In reference to an article by Britannica.com, early Dutch settlers established a plantation-type farm called Vriesendael, which was pillaged by Delaware Indians in 1643. In 1675 David Demarest (or des Marest), a French Huguenot, and his sons received a land grant, which included the former farm area. Two years later they established the first permanent settlement. Their mill, known as Demarest Landing, became a shipping point for iron ore.
Originally included in Palisades township (organized in the 1800s), the borough was established in 1922 when three small settlements, Peetzburg, New Milford Manor, and New Bridge, amalgamated and incorporated as New Milford on March 11, 1922 from what remained of the township. It is believed to be named for Milford Pennsylvania.
Founded: March 11, 1922
Incorporated: April 18, 1922
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North Arlington
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North Arlington is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. It was Included as part of Hudson County when it was created in 1840, the Borough of North Arlington rejoined Bergen in 1852. On March 26, 1896, borough advocates won the election in North Arlington with 46 votes in favor and none opposed.
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The new borough contained about 400 inhabitants within about two square miles of territory. It covers approximately 2.6 square miles of the county’s most southwesterly reach, with the Passaic River forming its western border with Essex County. It was called North Arlington because it was north of the Arlington section of Kearny, which had been named from the Arlington Station. In the 1750s, it was the site of the first working steam engine in America, used to pump water from the copper mine located there.
Founded:1840
Incorporated: March 26, 1896
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Leonia
Leonia was settled in 1668 by English and Dutch colonists and it stands as one of the oldest communities in New Jersey. Although it was incorporated as the Borough of Leonia, Bergen County, on December 5, 1894. The name of the town is a reference to American Revolutionary War General Charles Lee. Before it was officially called Leonia it was known as “English Neighborhood”, which was land on the eastern side of the Overpeck. General George Washington’s retreat of November 20, 1776 passed right through Leonia. In 1859 the Civil War Armory Drill Hall was built and many years later restored and repurposed as the abode for the Guild of Leonia, which was founded in 1919 and is New Jersey’s oldest functioning community theater group.
Founded: 1894
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Incorporated: December 5, 1894
Oakland
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The name comes from the white oak trees in the area. On 8 April 1902, Oakland was established as a municipality by an act of the New Jersey Legislature from parts of Franklin Township. Oakland is a city of Bergen County, New Jersey. United States and a suburb of New York City. In March 1902, Oakland suddenly was the last stop on the railroad when the Ramapo River swelled to a height of 14 1/2 feet above average and washed away all bridges between Pompton Lakes and Suffern except the Pleasure land bridge near the old Ponds. The Volunteer Fire Department was formed in 1909, and the roads of Oakland saw a massive chemical tank set on wheels, first drawn by hand, then pulled by a newfangled vehicle. Electricity came on August 1, 1916, resulting in the slow loss of the town's water-powered industries.
Founded: 1685
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Incorporated: April 8, 1902
Old Tappan
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Tappan Creek (present day Piermont, New York) was purchased from the Lenni Lenape Indians on March 17, 1682. The legal title to the land known as the Tappan patent, was granted by Governor Thomas Dongan of New York to thirteen Dutchmen and three free Negroes five years later, in 1687, This patent is believed to be the first of its kind in the country to include both blacks and whites on an equal basis. They were all farmers, as their farms got crowded by the late 17th Century, they came together to to purchase other nearby unsettled lands. The land they bought is described as "a Cartaine track of Land named Old Tappan as same is bounded by trees marked by ye indians. " The Ould Tappan of 1682 was much larger than the Old Tappan we know today. There is a theory that the Dutch mariners on the Hudson River called this out-lying wilderness Uyt-Tappan, meaning Out Tappan and corrupted it in their own language to Ould Tappan, In English Ould or Old Tappan. This theory is debatable, but it is a fact that it was known as Ould Tappan since the first settlement after 1687
Founded: 1687
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Incorporated: October 18, 1984
Palisades Park
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Palisade Park’s original settlers were the Ashkineshacky Indians, a tribe of the Lenni-Lenape Nation. In the early Colonial days, Palisades Park was part of the township of Hackensack. A segment of this land was known as English neighborhood because it was lying between the Hudson and Overpeck Creek. The land consisted mostly of farms, brooks, ponds, and springs. In 1869, the state legislature renamed it Grand Avenue, and improvement began on the roadway. A year later in 1870, Broad Avenue was opened. The Borough of Palisades Park was created by the Borough Act of 1878, which allowed townships to separate and establish itself as an independent Borough. Palisades Park was legislature on March 22, 1899 from portions of Ridgefield Township. A portion of its area was annexed by the neighboring borough of Fort Lee in April 1909. The borough was named for its location atop the New Jersey Palisades. During the late 1800s and into the early 1900s, there was a sizeable Polish community in Palisades Park. After Palisades Park became a borough, John S. Edsall was elected and sworn into office on April 24, 1899, as the borough’s first mayor. He is considered as one of the greatest pioneers of Palisades Park and did much for advancement of the borough and the quality of life for its resident.
Founded: 1899
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Incorporated: March 22, 1899
Ramsey
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The roots of the northern New Jersey borough date to 1848, when the Paterson and Ramapo Railroad opened a line to connect Paterson with ferries crossing the Hudson River to New York. A farmer name Peter J. Ramsey sold the land for the station to the railroad. During the berry-harvesting season of 1850, there were 8 railroad cars full of strawberries that were sent to Manhattan every night. In 1907, when Ramsey had business district, electricity, and a wide range of civic services, they began discussing secession from rural Ho-Ho-Kus. In 1908, the State Legislature approved the formation of Ramsey Borough. The railroad station that was built in 1869 is owned by the NJ transit and many residents commuting to New York City.
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Founded: 1848
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Incorporated: March 10, 1908
Ridgefield
The town of Ridgefield in New Jersey is located next to Palisades park, known for its prime location close to New York city and other popular towns of New Jersey such as Edgewater and Fort Lee. Originally populated by the Hackensack tribe, part of the Lenape Native Americans. Ridgefield park is one of many pieces of land which were integral during the time of the industrial revolution due to its geographic location. The town is separated into three boroughs, Ridgefield, Morsemere, and Ridgefield Heights. This helped the government manage the development of the town based over the years based on their availability of natural and man-made resources.
Perhaps one of the more famous landowners of the town being Samuel F. B. Morse, who owned large portions of land in the main borough of Ridgefield. He was the inventor of the telegraph and the now known Morse Code.For a long time Ridgefield housed a large population of industrial workers to transport goods to and from the New England states, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York. This made it a very attractive location for those seeking employment during the boom of the industrial revolution.
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Founded: 1892
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Incorporated: May 26, 1892
Ridgefield
Park
The Lenni Lenape Indians who were the first inhabitants settled in Ridgefield Park were called the “Hacki sak” tribe. On June 24, 1669, Governor Carteret confirmed a land claim of Sarah Roelofs Kiersted to the territory lying between the Hackensack River and Overpeck Creek. Then in 1685, Hendrick Brinkerhoff purchased land along the Hackensack River and became the first European to inhabit the land now known as Ridgefield Park. Mortimer smith and Peter Kenny built the first station, the main station at the foot of Mount Vernon Street, West View at the foot of Central Avenue, and Little Ferry at Bergen Turnpike all opened in 1872. Earlier public education in the Village had begun in 1880, with elementary school classes being conducted on the upper floor of Shiel’s Store, Lincoln Avenue and Park Street, a building which still stands.
On Independence Day, Ridgefield Park does not take light celebration. In 1890s, it was recognized as featuring the nation’s oldest continuously running parade with large crowds. As the population expanded, the Ridgefield Park Protective and Improvement Association was formed around 1889 to protect citizens. In 1894, first organized the public library was built with the help of Josie K. Barnes, located on the corner of Lincoln Avenue and Mount Vernon Street. The building was known as the Woman’s Bazaar. Ridgefield Park was formed as a village on June 15, 1892, within Ridgefield Township, based on the results of a referendum passed on June 6, 1892. Overpeck Township was formed on March 23, 1897, to be coextensive with Ridgefield Park village, and was created within Ridgefield Township for the purpose of administering a Board of Education. Portions of the village gained in both 1921 and 1926 were taken from Bogota and Teaneck. On May 31, 1938, Overpeck Township became Ridgefield Park Township.
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Founded: 1685
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Incorporated: June 15, 1892
Ridgewood
Ridgewood, NJ is in Bergen County and happens to be my hometown. In the year 1698, Johannes Van Emburgh and David Provoast purchased 250 acres of land in what would later be known as Ridgewood. In 1810 the people living there referred to the town as Newton, but its name was changed to Godwinville in 1829 to honour Abraham Godwin, a Revolutionary War hero. The coming of the railroad in the early 1850s caused the community to grow. It was then renamed Ridgewood in 1866 and incorporated in 1895.
In 1725 the area was known as Paramus and there were enough families in the area to establish a congregation of the Reformed Church. The first church was a strategic military point during the American Revolution with troops encamped here throughout the war. George Washington visited and wrote letters here, and the Patriots and the British also fought here in the churchyard. The area around the church and across the Saddle River (at the intersection of today's East Saddle River Road & East Glen Avenue) was the center of activity in the area for 150 years. The Old Paramus Reformed Church and four other historic buildings still stand there today.
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Founded: November 20, 1894
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Incorporated: 1895
Rutherford
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The name of the town I am giving a brief report on is Rutherford, New Jersey, it was a
region that was occupied by the Leni- Lenape Indian tribe, before the Dutch immigrants settled there. This area was discovered by Walling Van Winkle when he arrived in this area in 1687. It was incorporated into a borough on September 21, 1881. It is unclear if it was a part of an Indian trail or simply a property boundary line, but it was granted to John Berry in 1668 from governor Phillip Carteret. At this time, Rutherford was known as New Barbadoes Township and actually a part of Essex county, before the formation of Bergen county in 1710.
It was then a part of the Lodi township for a brief time, then Harrison township, and then
becoming a part of Bergen county and known as Union township.Around the mid 1880's the
majority of the area that makes up Rutherford, was owned by a man named John Rutherfurd, who was a former NJ legislator and Senator. Daniel Van Winkle, a descendant of the aforementioned Walling VanWinkle, opened a real estate office to sell off the land owned by the ‘Rutherfurd Park Association’.
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Founded: 1710
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Incorporated: September 21, 1881
Teaneck
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The town I got is Teaneck, NJ. It was founded in 1609 and incorporated on February 19, 1895. The name Teaneck is still not known but there is speculation that the meaning may be “the woods” or “villages”. Later Teaneck specifically related to a ridge of land that ran through the town. In 1609 Henry Hudson landed in Teaneck but a tribe leader named Chief Oratam was already living there in an area near present-day Fycke Lane.
In 1669 Teaneck evolved greatly when Chief Oratam gave a woman by the name of Sarah Kiersted 2000 acres of land. A year later Dutch colonies would be built on River Rd and Teaneck Rd. Many historical homes built there remain today such as Zabriskie-Kipp-Cadmus House, Adam Vandelinda House, Caspar Westervelt House, and Brinkerhoff-Demarest House.
Founded: 1609
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Incorporated: February 19, 1895
Tenafly
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In 1776, Tenafly was surrounded by forests, with just four homes. First couple European settlers in Tenafly were Dutch immigrants in the late 17th Century. The name came is derived from an early Dutch phrase “Tiene Vly”. Tenafly was incorporated as a borough on January 24, 1894. This borough was the first formed during the boroughitis. Municipal improvements continued including founding of the Tenafly Library Society in 1895. Water installation happened in 1899, and in World War l Tenafly became part of Camp Merrit.
Founded: 1894
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Incorporated: 1894
Teterboro
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The borough made part of other townships, such as Moonachie, Little Ferry, and Lodi. Once it was incorporated, it was very small, a year later in 1918 it was enlarged. The borough was named after Walter. C Teter, who was a NY investment banker. Walter’s big plan was to build a racetrack, building an airport and a 18-hole hole course. The name of Teterboro was once changed to Bendix Borough in 1937 but it was reverted to Teterboro in 1943. Neighbor towns like Hasbrouck Heights or South Hackensack have been wanting to dissolve Teterboro and gain possession of that land. The borough is just about 1.158 sq mi big. It is now know for its beautiful airport.
Founded: 1967
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Incorporated: March 26, 1967
Wallington
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Wallington was created as a borough on January 2, 1895, based on a referendum held on December 31, 1894, from area taken from Bergen Township and Saddle River Township. The borough was formed during the "Boroughitis" phenomenon then sweeping through New Jersey, in which 26 boroughs were formed in Bergen County alone in 1894, with Wallington the last of the 26 to be formed by an 1894 referendum.
The history of Europeans developing our area begins in 1668. Three men-Captain Jon Berry, William Sanford, and Robert Vauquellin-toured the land between the Hackensack and Passaic Rivers. Berry bought the upper half. He received all the land between the rivers from his friend, Governor Carteret, on June 10, 1669. The present area of Wallington was then part of the township of New Barbadoes, which was in the county of Essex.
Founded: 1668
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Incorporated: December 31, 1894
Washington
Township
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Incorporated: Originally, the town was inhabited by the Lenape Indians, earlier in 1700. Before they vanished, the Dutch and European settlements began arriving in 16th and 17th centuries to the town who started cultivating apples for which the town became popular known for its apple cider. By 1750, estimated 90% of the Lenape populations was killed. Only the names remained of that civilizations: Pascack, Kinderkamack, Musquapsink. The name of the town comes for the first president George Washington. The Township of Washington is a tranquil town surrounded by a web of major highways including Rt. 17 and 4, which facilitate easy commuting to other parts of New Jersey. Accessibility to buses and trains alike for the daily commute to New York make this town a desirable place to relocate. Population and trade in the Township grew with the completion of the N.J. and N.Y. Railroad through the Pascack Valley in the decade following the Civil War.
Founded: April 13th, 1836
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Incorporated: February 17, 1840
Westwood
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During the early colonial period, it was home to the Lenni-Lenape Indians of the Eastern Algonquin Nation, before the civil war, the area was primarily farmland. In the Mid-1700s, first permanent settlers started to arrive in the area. In April 1780, Isaac Bogert purchased acres of land and moved his family from the city, establishing his residence in the area. The Bogert family was one of the more prominent families in the history of Westwood and Bogert's name can be found anywhere on streets, buildings, and etc. In the early 19th century, the town was called Pleasantville and then became Washington Township in 1840. Eventually, it was changed to Westwood in 1875. A store that was run by Isaac D. Bogert and Z.B. Van Emburgh, had been opened in 1869 on the northeast corner of Westwood Avenue and Railroad Avenue, and that same year the Westwood Hotel, the first hotel in the Borough, was built by A.B. Bogert on the corner across the street from the general store. The Erie Railroad was extended from Hackensack to Hillsdale. The new borough experienced a surge in new home construction and rapid growth in its population. By the turn of the century, telephones, cars, and other modern conveniences began to transform the area.
Founded: Mid 1700's
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Incorporated: May 8, 1894
Wood-Ridge
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Wood Ridge is in the north east part of New Jersey in Bergen county. Being that it is a part of Bergen county there is a lot of history behind the township that not many people know about. In the early 1600’s Bergen county was mostly settled by the Dutch, French, German, English and many more but it was more predominantly the Dutch. In the 1700’s the territory of Wood Ridge extended all the way into Hackensack. During this time the Lenape Indians were the ones who inhabited the land. The area of Wood Ridge was used for hunting by the Indians.
In the beginning of the 1700’s many of the land was split between the Indians for farming because the soil was found to be rich. The farms were started by Lenape so that they could farm for themselves and rest of the goods were either traded or sold off. Many historians believe that the Indians settled in these areas because of the surrounding rivers. To transport the crops, they would use horses and boats. The boats would sail through the Hackensack and Hudson river. After doing this research not only on Wood-Ridge but Bergen County it amazes me how rich Bergen Counties history really is.
Founded: 1669
Incorporated: December 6, 1894
Wyckoff
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Wyckoff; a lovely town located in Northwest Bergen County New Jersey. This township has a rich history dating back to the inhabitance of the Lenape Indians who are an indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands. The name Wyckoff is believed to be derived from one of two words in the Lenape language. “Wickoff’ meaning high ground or “Wickok” meaning water. In 1771 a territory named Franklin Township was incorporated. Over the years sections of Franklin Township broke off to create Midland Park, Oakland, Franklin Lakes, Ho-Ho-Kus, Ridgewood, and Ramsey. In 1926 the remaining land from Franklin Township was renamed by the Chamber of Commerce as Wyckoff.
In the early years, Wyckoff was composed of mostly farm land. Its fertile soil attracted settlers to farm a number of different crops such as apples, corn, potatoes, strawberries and sell them at local markets in Paterson and Hackensack. One of the last remaining farms today is Abma’s Farm. Though they are not the original owners of the farm, they have a barn on the property that dates back to 1790. In the years following World War II Wyckoff’s suburban boom began and many farms went by the wayside.
Founded: 1926
Incorporated: November 2, 1926