Author Archives: njgate

The area that is now Mahwah was originally formed as Hohokus Township on April 9, 1849, from portions of the former Franklin Township (now Wyckoff). While known as Hohokus Township, territory was taken to form Orvil Township (on January 1, 1886; remainder of township is now Waldwick), Allendale (November 10, 1894), Upper Saddle River (November 22, 1894), and Ramsey (March 10, 1908). On November 7, 1944, the area was incorporated by an act of the New Jersey Legislature as the Township of Mahwah, based on the results of a referendum held that day, replacing Hohokus Township.[25] New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Mahwah as its ninth best place to live in its 2008 rankings of the “Best Places To Live” in New Jersey.[26]

When surveying the area now known as Maplewood, Robert Treat found several trails used by Lenape tribes of Algonquian Native Americans, though there was only sparse pre-European settlement. These paths form the basis for what are the township’s main thoroughfares today.[25]

West Milford started out as New Milford in what was then western Bergen County in the 18th century, having been settled by disenchanted Dutch from Milford, New Jersey (later renamed by the British as Newark). These same Dutch also built a town of New Milford in eastern Bergen County. When both New Milfords applied for post offices in 1828, a clerk in Washington, D.C. is said to have approved the other application first and assigned the name “West Milford” to the New Milford in western Bergen County in order to distinguish between the two locations.[20]

Medford was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 1, 1847, from portions of Evesham Township, based on the results of a referendum held that day. Portions of the township were taken to form Shamong Township (February 19, 1852), Lumberton Township (March 14, 1860) and Medford Lakes (May 17, 1939).[20] Geographically, the township is part of the South Jersey region.

South Plainfield was incorporated by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 12, 1926, from portions of Piscataway Township, based on the results of a referendum passed on April 6, 1926.[21] The borough’s name derives from Plainfield, which derived its name from a local estate[22] or from its scenic location.[23]

What is now Glassboro was originally formed as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 11, 1878, from portions of Clayton Township. Portions of the township were taken to form Elk Township (April 17, 1891) and Pitman (May 24, 1905). Glassboro was incorporated as a borough on March 18, 1920, replacing Glassboro Township.[22] The borough was named for its glass industry.[23][24][25]

Located along the Morris and Essex Lines, the township is a bedroom community, with many residents traveling to work in nearby New York City on NJ Transit which provides commuters with direct access to New York Penn Station and to Hoboken Terminal.

Roxbury was formed on December 24, 1740, from portions of Morris Township.[20] It was formally incorporated by the Township Act of 1798 of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798, as part of the state’s initial group of 104 townships. Portions of the township were taken to form Mendham Township (March 29, 1749), Washington Township (April 2, 1798), Chester Township (April 1, 1799), Jefferson Township (February 11, 1804), Mount Olive Township (March 22, 1871), Mount Arlington (November 3, 1890) and Netcong (October 23, 1894).[21]

North Plainfield Township was created from portions of Warren Township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature passed on April 2, 1872. The borough of North Plainfield became an independent municipality on June 9, 1885.[21][22] The name derives from Plainfield, which derived its name from a local estate[23] or from its scenic location.[24]

On January 19, 1883, the world’s first electric lighting system employing overhead wires began service in Roselle. It had been built by Thomas Edison to demonstrate that an entire community could be lit by electricity. This success encouraged the installation of electric lighting in numerous other villages and cities.[21] The First Presbyterian Church, located on the corner of West 5th Avenue and Chestnut Street, was the first church in the United States to be lit by electricity, and the second in the world after the City Temple church in London.[22]