USA > New Jersey > Bergen County > Ridgewood > Ridgewood, Bergen County, New Jersey, past and present > Part 14
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21
Ronelere House ( H. Terhune)
Ridgewood
25
Tice, II. A. (pay sta)
Ridgewood
Vroom, W. L., M.D.
Ridgewood
2 a
Wall, Isaac M.
Ridgewood
S
West'rn Union Telegr'ph Co.
Ridgewood
12 a
Zabriskie, David D.
On March 21, 1900, Mr. Tice's building and the telephone switch- board were destroyed by fire, but on the following day, March 22nd, service was restored by a new switchboard placed in George Winters' stationery store, on the south side of Ridgewood Avenue near Prospect Street. After about a year, the switchboard was moved back to the rear of the drug store in Tice's new building.
On October 10, 1908, the present common battery switchboard was put into service. It is now located over Tice's drug store on the third floor of the building at the corner of Ridgewood Avenue and Chestnut Street. The steady increase in business has necessitated the complete rebuilding of the outside distributing plant. In the early days the telephone wires were carried singly upon cross-arms attached to poles. As the number of lines increased, the single wires and cross-arms have been replaced by small aerial cables and in the business center of the town, underground subway cables have been constructed.
Telephone rates in Ridgewood have been reduced from time to time for the past sixteen years. On January 1, 1900, there were two schedules applying in Ridgewood; one a message rate schedule of $50 a year for an individual line, .$40 a year for a two-party line, and $30 a year for a three or more party line. These rates permitted a sub- seriber the use of 500 messages per annum and applied to both business and residence. An optional flat rate was also in effect at this time of $100 a year for individual line business service and $75 a year for two party line business service. The extension station in connection with service of this type was $30 a year. The optional flat rate for residence service was $75 for an individual line and $60 for a two- party line, with an extension station rate of $20.
In November, 1901, the message rate service was eliminated and flat rates for business service were reduced to $60, $48, and $36 for indi- vidual, two-party and four-party lines, respectively, while residence rates were reduced to $48, $36, and $24 a year for the same classes of service. The business extension station rate was reduced from $30 to $20 per annum and the residence extension station rate from $20 to $12 per annum.
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RIDGEWOOD, BERGEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY
In May, 1904, the rates were again reduced by the introduction of business rates of $48, $39 and $30 for individual, two-party and four- party lines, respectively, and residence rates of $36 and $24 for indi- vidual and four-party lines, respectively. Other small reductions have been made from time to time until the present rates were made effective in 1910, which are $48, $36 and $30 for business individual, two-party and four-party lines, respectively ; and $36, $30 and $24 for residence individual, two-party and four-party lines, respectively.
The private branch exchange rates have also been reduced in pro- portion.
Telegraph
Prior to 1864 only one telegraph wire was in operation over the Erie Railroad lines. While this was used by the railroad principally for operating purposes, commercial telegrams were accepted at their stations and delivered to the Western Union Company in New York City if destined to points not on the lines of the Erie Railroad.
During 1864 the Western Union Telegraph Company made arrange- ments with the Erie Railroad for the construction of a telegraph line along the railroad right-of-way with an exchange of telegraph traffic. The Erie Company's stations were connected with the Western Union Company's wires at that time, the date of Ridgewood's first regular telegraph service. The first telegraph operator was R. Terhune, who also acted as agent for the railroad and the telegraph company. Lew E. Weller of Otisville, N. Y., now holding a position in the Western Union Telegraph Company's New York operating room, was also one of the early operators in Ridgewood, serving in that capacity during 1865. Mr. Weller has the distinction of not only having been in con- tinuous service of the Western Union Telegraph Company for the past 47 years, but also of being the oldest living operator who has served the Erie Railroad.
On September 28, 1913, the joint arrangement for the operation of their offices which had existed up to this time between the Erie Rail- road and the Western Union was discontinued and the latter, in con- junetion with the New York Telephone Company, opened an office in the Wilsey Building for the handling of their commercial affairs.
Mr. F. W. Milliken, who had been in charge of telegraph matters in Ridgewood for both the Erie Railroad and the Western Union Tele- graph Company since March 11, 1896, was placed in charge of the Telegraph Company's interests and is their present manager. On April 27, 1914, the joint commercial office of the Telephone and Telegraph Companies was discontinued and since then the telegraph office has been located in the Osman Building in Wilsey Square.
WATER SUPPLY
The Bergen Aqueduct Company
Prior to 1900, the Village of Ridgewood had no system of water supply either for domestic or municipal purposes. During that year the Bergen Aqueduct Company was organized by H. W. Corbin of
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PAST AND PRESENT
Jersey City and the company entered into a contract with the Village to construct and operate for a period of fifteen years a system of water works in the Village. A pumping station near the intersection of North Maple and Harrison Avenues and a storage tank near the intersection of Sunset and Valley View Avenues were constructed and the company commeneed supplying water to the Village about January 1, 1901. The first standpipe was placed in the vicinity of Sunset Avenue and is still in service.
In 1903 the company acquired a franchise to extend its pipes from Ridgewood through Glen Rock and since then it has furnished water to the two communities.
The Bergen Water Company
From 1900 to 1908 the Aqueduct Company procured its supply of water from the wells located on the Harrison Avenue plant. During this period both Ridgewood and Glen Roek had rapidly increased in population and by 1908 this supply was inadequate to the needs of these two communities.
The Bergen Water Company was therefore incorporated on August 19, 1908, by the stockholders of the Aqueduct Company and constructed a pumping station, two storage tanks, and a system of street mains in the Borough of Midland Park. The sale of water started on August 1, 1909.
At present the Aqueduct Company owns all mains, valves and hy- drants in Ridgewood and Glen Rock, the pumping station, wells and land at Harrison Avenue, and the storage tank and land at Sunset and Valley View Avenues in Ridgewood. The Water Company owns the system of mains, valves and hydrants, pumping plant, wells, land and two storage tanks in Midland Park.
While the mains are continuous between Ridgewood and Midland Park, the ownership is determined by the dividing line between the towns.
The Aqueduct Company, from the time it started until the com- mencement of operations of the Water Company, pumped its own water by means of the Harrison Avenue plant, but after the Water Company began operations, the pumping plant at Harrison Avenue was shut down and held in reserve for use only in case of breakdown at Midland Park and during the midsummer months to carry the peak of the load. Water was then and is now purchased by the Bergen Aqueduct Company from the Bergen Water Company for distribution in Ridgewood and Glen Rock.
The Bergen Water Company also supplies its own consumers in Midland Park and since 1912 has sold water to the Village of Ho-Ho- Kus by meter. The pipe system in Ho-Ho-Kus is owned by the Village, and water rents are collected by the Village.
The supply for Ho-Ho-Kus, when the Harrison Avenue plant is not running, passes through Ridgewood by way of Lake, Godwin, Franklin, Ridgewood and Maple Avenues.
The contract between the Bergen Aqueduct Company and the village
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RIDGEWOOD, BERGEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY
of Ridgewood having expired by limitation on January 1, 1916, and the water supply, plants and mains owned and controlled by the Bergen Aqueduet Company and the Bergen Water Company being insufficient to meet the future needs of the communities served by these companies, the question of whether the Village of Ridgewood shall acquire the properties of the two companies, or enter into a contract with a new company to be incorporated for the purpose of taking over the prop- erties with the development, in either case, of a new supply of water, is now receiving the attention of the Commissioners and citizens of the Village.
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CHAPTER VII RESIDENCES-PRESENT, EARLY, HISTORICAL-AND COMMUNITY CENTERS
RESIDENCES-PRESENT, EARLY AND HISTORICAL
The Homes of Ridgewood
A LL of the traditions of Ridgewood and the efforts of its people combine to make it a residential community of home town. While it is impossible to describe in a book of this kind the various types of modern houses to be found within the boundaries of Ridgewood, it may be stated briefly that, with the exception of a few within the busi- ness section of the Village, all dwellings are detached and most are surrounded by ample and well-kept lawns, with space for gardens or fruit and shade trees.
As will be seen in the foregoing pages, during the 50 years of its existence, as Ridgewood, the community has developed from an agri- cultural section into a modern residential village. As in other localities in Bergen County, the coming of the new type of dwelling has, in the natural course of things, brought about the gradual elimination of the houses of the early settlers, and these deserve greater consideration than has been given in the following general description of those in Ridge- wood and its vicinity.
Early Dutch Homes
Bergen County having been settled principally by the Dutch, such of the early homes as remain today show a distinctive style of archi- tecture that was the result of a slow local development, unmodified by outside influences until after the Revolution, which, so to speak, made the colonies more aware of each other's presence.
Prior to that time, the Dutch settlers held slight communion with their English neighbors and were possessed of a marked individuality. This is responsible for their type of home, now generally referred to as Dutch Colonial. The first houses were primitive one or two-room cottages with rough stone walls and thatched, flat gable roofs without the overhanging caves so noticeable later on. Very few houses of this type remain today.
These simple cottages continued to be built for some time, always more carefully and with better workmanship, the stone laid in courses and roughly faced. The stone, called sandstone, is a local stone, found on almost any site, ranging from light or dark tan to light brick color and of a great variety of texture.
As time went on the stonework was more carefully cut, until the 19th Century, when the precise jointing and smooth-tooled finish on the front was developed.
The walls were laid in a binding material of ordinary clay from the fields, mixed with straw, and this, while keeping out moisture, was
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RIDGEWOOD, BERGEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY
easily washed out of the stone on the outside of the walls by rain. It was to prevent this that the houses were later built with wide eaves overhanging the walls three feet or more.
The end walls were not so easily taken care of and were not, there- fore, carried up to the peak of the gable. The space between was framed in wood covered with shingles and sometimes with clapboard, which left only a short space of stone wall requiring occasional repair.
Once the overhang was adopted, the projecting portion was curved outward to keep the roofs from coming too close over the windows, to avoid the clumsy, top-heavy appearance and, possibly, to cast the rain-water farther out from the walls.
When the original cottage became too small for its owners, a larger house was built against one end and this became the main portion of the house, the original building being used as a kitchen wing. Fre- quently a second wing, more or less like the first, was added on the other end of the building to accommodate a married son, who used the living quarters of the main house with the rest of the family.
Thus the symmetrical house plan of center and flanking wings was not at all a formal conception carried out at one time, as we build houses today, but simply the result of natural growth in the prosperity and necessities of the family. This gradual evolution developed a type of house that is distinctive of Bergen County. Generally speaking it may be described as a low stone dwelling, usually with one wing and some- times two, a "Dutch" door in the middle with a fanlight above, two windows at each side, bare of columns or any other architectural orna- mentation, a simple platform with plain side railings in front of the door, the walls carrying low unbroken, gambrel roofs with eaves curving out three feet more or less, the whole giving an impression of strength, austerity, harmony, and comfort. The wings were lower and covered with a plain low gable, usually with the curving overhang, while the chimneys were large and usually of brick brought from Holland or Barbadoes.
While the most important remaining groups of these Dutch houses are to be found in a district beginning about fifteen miles northwest of lower New York in Bergen County and stretching north along the valley of the winding Hackensack River from the town of Hackensack to the New York State Line, in Ridgewood and vicinity, a number still remain as follows :
Ackerman-Van Emburgh House
Situated at the head of Paramus Road just as it turns to cross the Saddle River is the old Ackerman Homestead. It was built by a mem- ber of that family in 1750 and came into the possession of the Van Emburgh family from the Ackerman Estate in 1800.
It is commonly known as the home of Jacob Van Emburgh and at present is occupied by Hervey Terhune.
Ackerman-Naugle House
The first house north of the Ackerman-Van Emburgh House, and standing on the East Saddle River Road with its end towards the south,
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Courtesy C. H. L. Mitchell
The Old Aycrigg House.
RIDGEWOOD, BERGEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY
and at the Junction of Paramus Road, was built by Abram Ackerman in 1760.
It has generally been known as the home of John Naugle and for a number of years, until his recent death, was occupied by Jacob Ferdon.
Van Dien Home
A few yards beyond the Saddle River boundary line of Ridgewood and on the west side of Paramus Road, just below the Blauvelt home, is the old home of the Van Dien family. Built in 1800 by Herman Van Dien, the house faces east with one wing on the south end.
It is now owned by Miss Aletta Van Dien, daughter of John H. Van Dien, and is occupied by Elmo Paxton.
Ackerman House
At the junction of Ackerman and Doremus Avenues is another old Ackerman homestead now occupied by Garret G. Ackerman. The stone part of this was built by his great grandfather, David Ackerman, over 175 years ago. It now has a wooden wing on the south side.
Zabriskie-Wessells-Board House
On the east side of Paramus Road, just below the junction of Ho- Ho-Kus Brook and the Saddle River, in Midland Township, but within fifteen hundred feet of the Ridgewood Line, stands the old Zabriskie House, now owned and occupied by Frederick Z. Board.
The house was constructed in 1790 by Andreas Zabriskie. Stand- ing at right angles to the road, the end of the nearest wing with its little oval windows set diagonally in the gable and in perfect detail, attracts immediate attention. The remaining portion of the structure has been added to, but in such a way as to leave the picturesque effeet unharmed.
A great lawn with beautiful trees and shrubbery stretches away from the rear of the house, and in front, across the drive-way, is the last of the old Colonial gardens, carefully laid out with paths and hedges. Nearby is an old barn originally constructed in 1775 and remodelled in 1823 and 1892, whose beams show the marks of British bullets fired during the Revolution.
The house has often been described in periodicals dealing with ar- chitectural matters and is referred to as one of the most delightful of the old places, both for its structural beauty and its splendid location, to be found throughout this ancient countryside.
Van Dien-Van De Beek-Hopper Houses
The foregoing houses, together with the Van Dien home on Grove Street, the Van De Beek house at the junction of Maple Avenue and Prospect Street, the old Hopper home on Prospect Street, now owned by Mrs. T. A. Strange and built in 1810 by Garret Hopper, and the stone portion of the building now used by Dr. W. L. Vroom on West Ridgewood Avenue, which was built by Peter J. Hopper, the father
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PAST AND PRESENT
of Albert P. Hopper, about 1830, are practically all of the old stone houses of the former inhabitants which now remain, their places having been taken by the modern houses of today.
While no longer in existence, the following stone houses were all excellent examples of the period :
Aycrigg House
Located on the east side of the Paramus Road about one-half mile below Grove Street, this house was built about 1730 and destroyed by fire on July 4, 1899. The house faced south with a wing on each end and with white-washed walls. In 1790 it was owned by John Zabriskie and later passed into the Bogert and then the Ayerigg families.
On the west side of the Road stands the old family burial vault built in 1786.
Zabriskie-Van Dien House
About one thousand feet north of the Ayerigg House stood the house occupied by John and Leah Zabriskie, which was built in 1790 and later passed into the Van Dien family.
Zabriskie House
Built by Christian Zabriskie in 1728, this house was demolished in 1790 by Andreas Zabriskie, who at that time built the present residence of F. Z. Board on the Paramus Road, a few yards in front of its site.
HOUSES OF HISTORICAL INTEREST
The houses described in the preceding pages might well have been included under this caption, as they are not only surrounded by the traditions of the families which occupied them, but, as many of them existed during the stirring times of our country's infancy, they were. without doubt, often visited by both the American and British troops.
Washington and his generals, it is known, visited this section during the Revolutionary War and, judging from his orders and correspond- ence dated at Paramus, must have used one of the old houses in the vicinity as his headquarters. Some writers state that this was probably the place then called the Hopper Tavern, now known as the Brainard Tolles residence, in Ho-Ho-Kus, but this has never been established as a fact.
In the vicinity of Ridgewood, however, are two old landmarks which sheltered those around whom, in one case, a glowing and romantic picture might be painted, while the other still remains a fond sentiment in the hearts of friends and admirers. They may not fall strictly within the scope of this book, but their historie value is as keen to the residents of Ridgewood as it is to those of their community.
The Hermitage
On the west side of Franklin Turnpike, a short distance above the Ho-Ho-Kus Station, still stands "The Hermitage", the home of the
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RIDGEWOOD, BERGEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY
widow of Colonel Provost and the scene of her courtship by the dashing Aaron Burr previous to their marriage. The house, quaint in appear- anee and surrounded by wonderful trees, was rebuilt in 1812. It has long been occupied by the Rosencrantz family and is an excellent speci- men of Colonial architecture.
Jefferson House
About one mile above the old Paramus Church on the west side of the East Saddle River Road, in Orvill Township, but within a few rods of the Ridgewood line, is the old Van Emburgh Homestead, which was later the summer home of the late Joseph Jefferson, of Rip Van Winkle fame.
Here the old comedian rested from the exacting labors of his pro- fession and here it was his pleasure to extend to loving friends a hos- pitality that has become proverbial.
COMMUNITY CENTERS
One of the greatest factors in the development of Ridgewood is the interest manifested by the citizens in all matters relating to the social, recreational, educational and civie life of the community. The oppor- tunities afforded by the churches and their various organizations, by elubs and other societies, are extensively utilized as a medium of social and civic intereourse in accordance with the preferences of those inter- ested. Almost all of these have their particular places for holding meetings and their activities are deseribed elsewhere in this book. The following serve the people as central gathering places for the discussing of civic and community matters as well as for the purpose of social and recreational affairs.
Pearsall's Grove
On the north side of East Ridgewood Avenue, between the Ho-Ho- Kus Brook and North Maple Avenue, stands a charming grove of nat- ural growth forest trees which follow an uprising of the land from the street level to the summit of a ridge from which there is an excellent view, the whole being admirably adapted to open air gatherings. In former days this was known as Dayton's Grove and through the cour- tesy of James W. Pearsall, its present owner, has served the people on a number of occasions as a gathering place for such events as Inde. pendence Day celebrations, mass meetings, and Sunday afternoon church services during the summer months.
The Opera House
The idea of having an opera house started with a few publie-spirited citizens who recognized the need of a suitable hall in which to hold meetings, local society entertainments, and theatrical performances. The project was presented to the citizens by means of a circular and a call for funds resulted in subscriptions amounting to approximately $10,000. In order to carry on the work, a private corporation called
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PAST AND PRESENT
the Ridgewood Hall and Park Association was formed. The original plan contemplated the transformation of the triangular piece of ground, now occupied by the Opera House, the Trust Company, the stores on Prospect Street, and the stores on Ridgewood Avenue between Prospect and Oak Streets, the beauty spot of the Village, by planting trees, shrubs and flowers. Owing to the lack of funds, however, the Asso- ciation was at first compelled to dispose of the Prospect Street frontage and later the Ridgewood Avenue and Oak Street parts now occupied by stores.
The building, when completed in 1889, had a seating capacity of five hundred and was one of the best in Ridgewood. It was built by day's work, Andrew Van Emburgh doing the mason work and John B. Van Dien the carpentry. The cost of erecting the building, including the foundation, amounted to about $29,000, the foundation work prov- ing expensive owing to the fact that the locality had at one time been the site of a small pond, which necessitated the construction of a drain.
When the building was designed an addition was provided for the use of the Ridgewood Club, a social organization prominent in the Vil- lage for a number of years, but which went out of existence with the formation of the original Golf Club. The building has been of great service to the Village as a place for public, social, and amusement af- fairs, the latter being under the direction principally of private indi- viduals who leased the premises for the purpose.
During the early 90's the grounds surrounding the building were used on numerous occasions for carnivals and other public gatherings. For quite a period, band concerts were given every Saturday afternoon, through the generosity of the late Joseph W. Edwards.
Since the completion of the Play House and the Assembly Hall in the Wilsey Building, these places have been preferred for holding gath- erings formerly held in the Opera House.
The first amateur minstrel show was given in the Opera House by members of the Ridgewood Club, under the direction of Franklin Hart on December 19, 1895. The cast included: Lucius Smith, J. B. Smith, A. S. Alexander, Walter Walton, H. M. Crowell, J. McLean Walton, J. W. Edwards. C. C. Harrison, Howard Walton, R. W. Hawes, F. A. Ross, F. C. Smith, G. C. Tompkins, John Hawes, J. W. Dunnell, with D. C. Cox as interlocutor.
One of the most notable events held within its walls was the hearty reception given to Woodrow Wilson, then Governor of New Jersey, when he addressed the people of Ridgewood on the evening of October 13, 1911, during the political campaign of that year.
On August 5. 1913, after having been purchased and renovated by the late Joseph H. Martin, the building was reopened as a photo play house under the direction of his son, Frank Martin, but this project has since been discontinued.
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