Opening The Door On History; Celebrating New Jersey’s 350th Anniversary in Liberty – Diversity – Innovation
History buffs, residents old and new, families (children 12 and younger are free) & friends:
All are invited to celebrate NWBC History Day Saturday, April 26, 11AM to 4PM (Oakland expects to be open at 10AM) at 9 historic buildings in Oakland, Mahwah, Wyckoff, Ramsey and Ho-ho-kus through Ridgewood, Allendale, Upper Saddle River and Glen Rock (new this year). All sites have a wealth of treasures on display covering our Native American roots up through Les Paul’s invention of the electric guitar. Oakland is especially proud this year to announce being recipient of 2 Bergen County grants which will help restore the Stream House as well as the Van Allen House to conditions which can be admired and enjoyed by all. We need everyone’s support to keep these improvements moving forward.
One of Oakland’s themes this year is our background as an agricultural center for more than 320 years, as we learned about growing corn from the Lenape. Our outdoor shed and museum room contain a collection of local farming and dairy tools along with locally woven baskets and cloth. The Stream House was the main office for the Vygeberg Farm, a commercial produce and dairy farm that provided food for the growing workers’ population in the silk mills of Paterson and other industries. Edward Day Page was one of many NYC industrials who came out to the country in hopes of bringing a healthier life to NJ workers. The Skylands Farms in Ringwood and the Havermeyer estate in Mahwah were also part of the same movement around the turn of the 1800's & 1900's, which created
the “Garden State” as it was known in Bergen and Passaic Counties. Edward Page was mayor of Oakland when a
tuberculosis sanatorium was proposed for the hill where ShopRite now stands. He fought to keep the terrible disease out of the Ramapo water shed and won. He was the mayor when the Fire Department in Oakland was initialized and instructed his Vygeberg Farm carpenter, Gideon DeWitt, to construct the first firehouse on Yawpo Avenue with the help of local farmers and tradesmen. Soon his office will be re-stabilized for the residents of Oakland to admire and be proud of.
Please come and be part of this exciting day. See what other entertainment and innovations we will be offering on
April 26th. E-mail [email protected] to purchase an advance ticket at $10. At the door tickets will be $15. It will give you access to all 9 sites. And again, children 12 and younger are free, and can make their own pottery charm. Each site has a child’s activity or souvenir.
Hope to see you there,
Jerri and Klaus Angermueller
Oakland Historical Society
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