-- Winter 2005 Edition --

The Old Fair Lawn Map   A Fair Lawn Resident found some great old maps at the Rutgers University's web page, including this map of Fair Lawn in 1918. The following is the conversation excerpted from Fair Lawn's Discussion Forum about that map and Fair Lawn history.   Fair Lawn Resident said: “Get a load of what " Fair Lawn " looked like then!  Actually, it wasn't Fair Lawn but Saddle River and it looks like it incorporated present day Fair Lawn and Saddle Brook. Equally fascinating is that the Broadway Railroad stop is called Warren Point but the present day Radburn stop is called simply Fair Lawn . Also, check out the trolley line that appears to have run from Hackensack to the Warren Point station.   And correct me if I'm wrong but it looks like both Fair Lawn Ave and Morlot didn't connect to Saddle River Road .   Raymond St. Resident replied: Saddle River Road was on the other side of the river before the construction of Route 4, where Paramus Road is now. It branched near the Arcola site of the Red Mill.  One branch becoming what is now Passaic Street down to Hackensack, the other crossing over the river and traveling to Market/Essex Street, crossing over the river again and connecting to what is now Main Street.   River Road was not that much different north of Maple Avenue and south of the Garretson house and farm. Between those two places, it traveled along the boundaries of farm properties, and, as the land was subdivided, was adjusted to meet with Morlot, Berdan, Hopper and Fair Lawn Avenues, all of which also started as boundaries roads. The Garretson family once owned much of the land extending from the river between the area of the house and Maple Avenue, some of it extending into Radburn and to the Saddle River. The path along the river that dates back to the Lenni Lenape times jogged inland in the vicinity of the current Morlot Avenue bridge at the Passaic because of the natural river pond at the area of Memorial pool, where it followed the low cliffs back to the river just south of the fish weir.   Fair Lawn Resident said:  Interestingly, there appeared to be some kinds of neighborhoods around back in 1918 or at least there appears to be some kind of grid layout around Berdan at the railroad tracks and especially down off River Road . There is also the trolley line running out of Hackensack to Warren Point Station and into Paterson . Do you know when this trolley line disappeared and are there any remnants of it around?   Raymond St ....one more thing. How do you know so much about this? It's great but what are your various sources?     Raymond St. Resident replied: The trolley line was operated by Public Service and was abandoned after a strike that shut down all trolley service in much of the state - I think this was in 1926 or 1927. There had been a lot of complaints about the dangers of trolleys sharing the roads with cars, and not too many complaints when the trolleys were replaced with bus service "temporarily" during the strike.   The area along Fair Lawn Avenue, to the west of River Road is the oldest "small lots" neighborhood in town. (I think there is a map listing the actual homeowners for the area in the Cadmus House from the 1920's.) Most of the houses were built and/or owned by people that worked in the mills right across the river in Paterson, making it a commuter/bedroom neighborhood before such things were common. If you drive up and down some of the streets between River Road, Hopper Avenue and Fair Lawn Ave.or the streets north of Fair Lawn Ave. and south of River Road, there are some very interesting houses. There are almost no two alike, and just about everything from cottages to large capes.   If you've heard of the name 'Fair Lawn Center' , well, that's the neighborhood it refers to. When I moved to Fair Lawn in 1966, that was the common name for this part of town. I think the only thing that still carries that name is the Bank of NY branch in the Wyler Building at the corner of Fair Lawn Ave. and River Road.   A lot of my sources are that space between my ears. I can't find my keys, but I can remember the name of the street in Jersey City I used to take to go to the Bayview Boat Club from the Turnpike thirty years ago.   The more tangible sources include information from the NY Times database, the excellent book on Fair Lawn by Mrs. Dipeeveen, and a lot of searching the internet for particular bits and pieces. There are some wonderful pictures of old and lost Fair Lawn in the Cadmus house, and I really, really recommend that anyone who is interested in learning more about our town go over there and talk to the great docents who have probably forgotten more about the town than I have ever known! There are also some nice sources in the reference room at the library.   I like untangling the puzzle of history. Someone asked me about Garfield a week ago - was it named after the President or not? - and I was off on a tangent for days. The answer was yes and no - it was named after him, but for his role in the Civil War, before his presidency and assassination. Except that he really died from his medical care and not the gunshot wound...and so on and so on.....     J.Baratta said: Hey there Ray Street, with all that knowledge, you may be able to help me with a something no one else in town can.  I'm on Fair Lawn Ave (in between 11th and Burbank), in my back yard I have a very old "stone house". It is small, made of that stone that used to be quarried near here, has a fireplace and a water source. I have been given different information regarding it's use.  Some tell me it was a pumping station for the area, others say a smoke house.  Any clues?   Raymond St. Resident replied: J: I grew up Floral Ave., between 11th and Burbank so I kinda know the neighborhood.   I'm not sure of which house you mean, but there is one with an old fieldstone house behind it which I think is a remnant from the Hopper farm that was there before the brick houses on Floral, 11th, Burbank and Arnold Streets were built, circa 1924. A lot of the neighborhood was owned by members of the Hopper family until the 1920's. One of the former family houses is on the corner of Hopper and 12th Street - it was also used as a funeral home for a while!   The only other house on FL Ave I can think of is the one that used to belong to the Casagrande's - they had a meat market and had a smoke house at the store in Bergenfield and at home, but I know it only from the smoked turkey they used to bring over to us - I never personally visited it...   J.Baratta concluded: Ray, I think you are right on target, because from the little bit of research I have done, it seems my property was part of the Hopper Farm (celery I believe).  Thanks!