Category Archives: NJ Cities Gates services

Oradell was originally formed on March 8, 1894, as the borough of Delford, from portions of Harrington Township, Midland Township (now Rochelle Park) and Palisades Township.[21] 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.[22] The name “Delford” was a portmanteau created from the names of two communities within the new borough: Oradell and New Milford.[23] The Hotel Delford had been constructed in 1870 after the construction of the first railroad to reach the area.[24] On November 12, 1920, the borough’s name was officially changed to “Oradell”, based on the results of a referendum held ten days earlier.[21][25] Oradell derives its name from “ora” (Latin for “edge”) and “dell”.[26]

North Hanover Township was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 12, 1905, from portions of New Hanover Township. Portions of the township were taken on March 4, 1918, to form Wrightstown.[19][20]

Its first settler James Johnston originally called the place “Spottiswoode”, named for his old place of residence in Scotland, and dates back to its original settlement in 1685.[21][22][23] It was also historically spelled Spottswood.[24]

Bernardsville was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 6, 1924, from portions of Bernards Township, based on the results of a referendum held on April 29, 1924.[22] The borough was named for Sir Francis Bernard, 1st Baronet, who served as governor of the Province of New Jersey.[23] In 2009, part of the borough was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Olcott Avenue Historic District.[24]

Hardyston Township was set off from portions of Newton Township by Royal charter on February 25, 1762.[21][22] It was named after Josiah Hardy, who was royal governor of New Jersey from 1761 to 1763.[23][24] The original British spelling of Hardiston was Americanized to Hardyston after the American Revolutionary War.[25]

The first Europeans to settle in the area were Dutch and the place was called Gansegat. Later it was part of Horse Neck and officially part of Newark Township. What is now Fairfield was formed on February 16, 1798, as Caldwell Township from portions of Acquackanonk Township and Newark Township. The area was named for Rev. James Caldwell. It was incorporated as one of New Jersey’s initial 104 townships by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were taken to create Livingston (February 8, 1813), Fairmount Township (March 11, 1862, now part of West Orange), Caldwell borough (February 10, 1892), Verona Township (February 17, 1892, now known and including what is now Cedar Grove), North Caldwell (March 31, 1898), Essex Fells (March 31, 1902) and West Caldwell (February 24, 1904). On November 6, 1963, Caldwell Township was renamed as Fairfield Township, based on the results of a referendum passed the previous day. Fairfield was reincorporated as borough on June 8, 1964.[22] In 1978, the borough passed a referendum reincorporating itself as a township, becoming the second of more than a dozen Essex County municipalities to reclassify themselves as townships in order take advantage of federal revenue sharing policies that allocated townships a greater share of government aid to municipalities on a per capita basis.[23][24][25]

The borough’s name is derived from the Raritans, a Native American group of Lenapes.[21] The name of the tribe is said to mean “forked river”,[22] “stream overflows” or “point on a tidal river”.[23][24]

In 1666, 64 Connecticut families led by Robert Treat bought land from the Lenni Lenape Native Americans and named it New Ark to reflect a covenant to worship freely without persecution. The territory included the future towns of Bloomfield, Montclair, Belleville and Nutley. When Bloomfield was established in 1812, Glen Ridge was a section “on the hill” composed mostly of farms and woodlands with the exception of a thriving industrial area along Toney’s Brook in the glen.[20] For most of the nineteenth century, three water-powered mills produced lumber, calico, pasteboard boxes and brass fittings. A copper mine and a sandstone quarry were located on the north side of the brook.[21]

What is now Mansfield Township was formed on May 30, 1754, as Mansfield-Woodhouse Township from portions of Greenwich Township, while the area was still part of Sussex County, and was incorporated as Mansfield Township on February 21, 1798, as one of New Jersey’s initial group of 104 townships by an act of the New Jersey Legislature. The township became part of the newly formed Warren County on November 20, 1824. Portions of the township were taken to form Franklin Township (April 8, 1839) and Washington Township (April 9, 1849).[20] The township was named after William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield.[3]

Bloomingdale’s Federal Hill was the site of the 1781 Pompton Mutiny, a winter revolt of Continental Army troops that was crushed by General Robert Howe on direct orders of General George Washington.[20]