USA > New Jersey > Bergen County > Ridgewood > Ridgewood, Bergen County, New Jersey, past and present > Part 15
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At the present time a portion of the building is occupied by Com- pany L and serves not only as their headquarters but is also used by them for drills.
When the Opera House was first opened it was the scene of a carnival which continued for several days. The first theatrical performance
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within its walls, which was given at that time by local talent, was entitled "The Loan of a Lover".
The Play House
On May 26, 1913, the Village Commissioners, through the Building Inspector, gave the Ridgewood Play House Company permission to erect a building on Wilsey Square between the Van Orden Garage and the Osman Building. On November 21st, in the presence of a larger as- semblage of citizens than had ever before gathered in an auditorium in the Village, the building was formally opened. The program included an address by His Honor, Mayor Daniel A. Garber, a response by Walter W. Wilsey, the father of the project ; the presentation of Pinero's comedy in four acts "Trelawney of the Wells". by Miss Gelbart and her associates, all Ridgewood young people; and the reading of a "Ded- ication Poem" written by Roland Clinton.
The building, which is of fireproof construction, will seat 800 per- sons and was built by Ridgewood contractors. The carpenter work was done by J. L. Brown, the mason work by Thomas Vanderbeek, the plumbing and heating by W. H. Moore, and the painting and deco- rating by J. Uhlman. Bigelow and Maxham provided the furnishings.
The land and buildings cost the company between $40.000 and $50,000 and during the latter part of 1916 an orchestral organ made by the American Master Organ Company of Paterson was installed at a cost of $5,000. The directors of the company are: Walter W. Wilsey, President : Thomas Nichols, of Nutley, Vice-President ; A. B. Van Liew and A. W. Fish, of Bloomfield, and Howard Peck of East Orange, Directors. W. W. Young, formerly of Bloomfield, is Resident Manager and under his direction the company has furnished a daily program of high-class moving pictures, except when the building is used as a place of assembly for events connected with the social and civic activi- ties of the community.
The Municipal Building
During the fall of 1910 the Village determined to construct a mini- cipal building that should be in keeping with the progressive spirit of the citizens. The building was completed and occupied during 1911.
Located on Hudson Street, the first floor is occupied by the Fire and Police Departments. The second floor, besides providing office room for the various officials and departments of the Village, contains a large assembly room which is used for the weekly sessions of the Village Commissioners and for publie meetings.
The Village fire alarm bell, contained within a wooden frame, is mounted on the roof of the building.
HALLS AND CLUB ROOMS
A history of the Village organizations is given elsewhere in this book, but their places for holding meetings are at times used by the citizens for other purposes and their development has been an important feature of the community life.
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Wilson's Hall
In 1873 a two-story building with an outside stairway leading to the assembly room was located at about the site of the present feed and grain business of E. B. Van Horn on Broad Street, and was known as Wilson's Hall. This was the meeting place of the Masonic Fraternity until May, 1881, when the building was destroyed by fire.
Union Street School Hall Music and Theatricals
The prime mover in athletic and musical entertainments in Ridge- wood was Mr. Thomas W. White, then on the staff of the New York Herald. The first publie concert given in Ridgewood was given for the benefit of the first Athletic Club in the hall over the Union Street School soon after it was completed. Mr. White's grand piano, then the only one in Ridgewood, was with difficulty carried to the platform. The Misses Sloman of New York played solos on piano and harp and the accompaniments to songs by Mr. White, Mr. Lucius Smith and Mr. R. W. Hawes.
Dramatic
In this Hall was also given the first theatrical performance in Ridge- wood. The hand-bills announced :
Amateur Concert and Dramatie Entertainment at the Ridgewood School House Hall, Saturday, December 14, 1878. Mr. Tom Jefferson as Hugh De Brass In the laughable Farce, A Regular Fix. Tickets 50 ets.
The concert was given by the singers who appeared at the athletic entertainment. The cast included Miss Hawes as leading lady, Mr. L. A. Stout and Miss Stout, Miss Effie Orr and Mr. Robert Kucuck of Ho-Ho-Kus and Mr. Rea of Midland Park, all amateurs. It was under- taken to raise funds for one of the churches in Ridgewood. Mr. Joseph Jefferson suggested it as good practice for his son, Tom, who was to begin his professional career in New York the next week. The cast was made by Mr. Jefferson and all rehearsals but the final one were held at his house and were delightful meetings never to be forgotten by those who attended them. The performance was well attended and cleared $100.
Social
A series of dances was held in the winter of 1876-1877, beginning in the homes of the residents of Ridgewood and Ho-Ho-Kus, by mem-
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bers of the England Keeley, Cameron, Robinson, Walton, Bockee, Ros- encrantz and Hawes families. Two were held in the unoccupied Kidder Academy on Van Dien Avenue. The music was furnished by the younger members; the dances were all square, quadrilles and lancers, closing with the Virginia reel, which was particularly enjoyed by the gray-haired members. The last of these dances was given on Wash- ington's Birthday in the School Hall, Union Street. Guests came from New York and Paterson. It was the first masked ball given in Ridge- wood, with elaborate music and refreshments and round dances.
Ryerson's Block-Prospect Block-First National Bank Building- Masonic and Wilsey Building-Halls
In 1882 Ryerson's Block was built and a hall was provided to take care of the needs of various organizations. The hall was used until the construction in 1903 of the Prospect Block and the First National Bank Building, when the assembly room provided for in the plans of the latter became the recognized meeting place and was known as Ma- sonic Hall. The hall in the Prospect Building was used principally for political meetings and dances, while Masonic IIall continued to be the principal meeting place of the Village organizations until 1915, when the Masonic Fraternity purchased the former home of the Town Club (White Stars) on South Maple Avenue, which it improved and dedi- cated to its uses. Beginning with the opening of the Woman's Club Rooms in the Wilsey Building in 1914, the two last mentioned build- ings have become the meeting places of a number of organizations re- quiring rooms of such proportions. The bank building assembly room is known as Knights of Columbus Hall.
The Woman's Club Rooms in the Wilsey Building were the scene during 1916 of two assemblages of a historic nature. One of these was the semi-annual meeting of the Federation of Woman's Clubs of New Jersey during the latter part of October. The Club rooms were used as headquarters and the business sessions were held in the Play House. The other occasion was on February 16, when 450 persons gathered at a banquet of Fidelity Lodge No. 113, F. and A. M., and talked, sang, and cheered with a similar gathering of Masons in San Francisco and Pasadena over the recently completed transcontinental telephone line of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company. Ridgewood upon this occasion had the honor of being the first small town to have an opportunity to test this marvelous feat of engineering. Through the greetings exchanged by Herbert R. Talbot, Master of Fidelity Lodge, and Albert G. Burnett, Grand Master of the State of California, Ridge- wood was the eastern terminus of the first verbal greetings ever ex- tended between officials of the Masonic order across the Continent.
Country Club
The facilities provided by the clubhouse of the Ridgewood Country Club since its completion in 1913, have given its members opportunities to enjoy the benefits which are usual in such an institution. While its short life has not enabled it to be the scene of any public gatherings
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of note, it is well adapted for such purposes and history will doubtless record its part in such future achievements of the citizens.
The Town Club
Formerly the home of the Ridgewood Golf Club, the present quarters of the Town Club, have been the scene of many social and public func- tions, the most prominent affair of a public nature being when President Taft addressed the citizens from the club veranda on May 25, 1912. This was the first time in the history of the community that a President of the United States was entertained within its confines.
Another important event in the history of the club occurred on April 8, 1915, when the citizens of the Village entertained at dinner the members of the Grand Army of the Republic living in this vicinity in commemoration of the Fiftieth Anniversary of the cessation of hos- tilities between the North and the South. The principal speaker of the evening was United States Senator Moses E. Clapp of Minnesota.
SPEEDWAY
About 1818, Van Dien Avenue, then known as Van Dien Lane and considered as one of the best dirt roads in this section, was used as a speedway for the best horses in the neighborhood. It was the gathering place for those interested in the sport and some lively running and trotting races were held.
HO-HO-KUS DRIVING CLUB PARK
On Race Track Road, which separates Ridgewood from Ho-Ho-Kus, and within the limits of Ho-Ho-Kus, stand the buildings and one-half mile track leased by the Ho-Ho-Kus Driving Club from Samuel Naugle. Since 1885 the park has served the people of the vicinity, not only as a speedway and for neighborhood horse shows, but also as a place for fairs. Since the advent of automobiles and aeroplanes it has been the scene at various times of exhibitions of these machines.
BERGEN COUNTY FAIR ASSOCIATION
The foregoing site was originally part of the Samuel Banta farm and was first used as a fair ground by the New Jersey Agricultural Association, organized in 1885. Jacob Bamper was its first president and served about ten years.
In 1895 this organization was succeeded by the North Jersey Agri- cultural and Driving Association, which constructed the present build- ings, repaired the race-track, and generally improved the condition of the property.
Up to 1914, the property was used at various times for speeding exhibitions and county fairs, but during that year it was sold to Samuel Naugle.
The Ho-Ho-Kus Driving Club now rents the property from Mr. Naugle and, since 1915, has sublet the premises to the Bergen County Fair Association. Incorporated during 1915, this association has con- ducted a fair on the grounds for the past two years.
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The Town Club.
PAST AND PRESENT
COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS TREE FESTIVAL
An enjoyable custom, which will probably be continued in the years to come, was established as a community affair on the evening of De- cember 23, 1916, when several hundred school children and as many adults assembled on Cottage Place around a towering evergreen, beau- tifully illuminated by hundreds of colored lights. Festoons of lights also illuminated the street. The children, under the direction of the Supervisor of Music of the Public Schools, sang a number of the old Christmas carols, after which the entire assemblage sang several closing hymns. Refreshments were served at the Unitarian Church for the adults and packages of cakes and candies were distributed to the young folks at the High School Building.
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CHAPTER VIII
CIVIC AND COMMERCIAL ORGANIZATIONS
O N account of its location at.a distance from New York, where it cannot conveniently share the pleasures and activities of that city to any great extent, Ridgewood has found it necessary to provide its own entertainment, club life and civic interests.
The natural result of such endeavor has been the organization of various clubs, societies and associations, all of which have as objectives the improvement of the individual and the advancement of the Village.
These organizations may, for the sake of convenience, be grouped under several headings, each denoting the general character of the organization so classified, as follows: Clubs, Patriotic Organizations, Political Organizations, Fraternal Organizations, Musical Clubs, Wel- fare Associations, School Associations, Anti-Liquor Organizations, Medi- cal Societies, Organizations for Young Men and Commercial Organi- zations.
CLUBS
The eall of outdoor sports and of social intercourse has been answered by the people of Ridgewood with the organization of nine clubs, all of which are of decided advantage to the Village.
The Ridgewood Club
The Ridgewood Club was organized in December, 1893, with the following officers :
President HENRY S. PATTERSON, M. T. RICHARDSON,
Vice-President
Treasurer
W. J. FULLERTON,
Secretary
PAUL WALTON.
This organization was the first of its character in the community. becoming one of the leading institutions of the Village and the center of its social life and activity. In 1900 its membership was practically absorbed by the Ridgewood Golf Club.
During its existence its aim had been to appeal particularly for the interest and support of the ladies, to which faet its growth and success were mainly attributable. Two days of each week were set apart as Ladies' Days and weekly entertainments were given through- out the season. During the winter months afternoon lectures were held in the elub parlors in the Opera House Building, followed by a five o'clock tea.
The club was a member of the Whist League and the devotees of the game made it a feature of the club life.
Ridgewood Country Club
Golf in Ridgewood dates back to 1893, when the old Ho-Ho-Kus Golf Club was organized, the first in this section of New Jersey and
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said to be one of the first in the country. The heir to the old Ho- Ho-Kus Club was the Ridgewood Golf Club, established in 1901, with a golf course on Maple Avenue. Out of this latter elub developed the present Country Club which, on March 12, 1910, was organized as an entirely new body, with the following officers and directors:
President Vice-President Secretary Treasurer
J. II. SNYDER,
(. W. STOCKTON,
W. D. LAWTON, II. G. WHITE.
Board of Directors
J. HI. SNYDER, W. D. LAWTON,
J. II. DUNNING, (. W. STOCKTON,
H. G. WHITE, G. F. BRACKETT,
P. A. TOOHEY, J. C. MAIILAN.
(. E. MERRIHEW, G. E. BOREHAM, 11. S. WILLARD,
The Ridgewood Country Club is a corporation, the capital stock of $50,000 being owned by about two hundred stockholders. Stockholders may become regular members of the club by paying the prescribed dues; otherwise a stockholder cannot enjoy any of the privileges of the club, but may vote at all meetings of stockholders. A stockholder may have but one vote in the affairs of the club, regardless of the number of shares of stock he may hold. This is rather a unique feature, as it gives every member an equal voice in the management of the club; consequently, there is no particular object in a member owning more than one share of stock except that he receives a 5 per cent. return on his investment, provided he becomes a regular member. This provision was made so that the club might be perpetuated and to avoid the risk of a few members obtaining control and possibly at some future date selling the land at a handsome profit. Under the circumstances, there is no reason why this tract of land should not continue indefinitely to be a beautiful park and pleasure ground prac- tically in the heart of Ridgewood.
The whole project was founded and built upon the faith in a greater and more beautiful Ridgewood and while, possibly, it was a little ahead of its time, it will, no doubt, serve as a landmark by which all future undertakings in Ridgewood may be measured. The purchase and de- velopment of the property, including the erection of the clubhouse, represent an outlay of more than $100,000. The corporation owns 102 acres of land, most of which was used in the development of an eighteen-hole golf course. Donald Ross, the great golf professional, has pronounced it one of the most beautiful spots for a golf course in America.
There is a splendid brook, fed from natural springs, at either end of the property. Both of these brooks have been dammed on the lower side of the property, creating two beautiful little lakes stretching practically across the entire width of the property. These lakes fur- nish hazards for golf in the summer time and ice parks for the skaters in winter. In addition to these two bodies of water for skating, an artificial skating rink has been created within twenty-five yards of the clubhouse. There the broad expanse of hills stretching from the club- house to Lincoln Avenue, that furnishes a splendid variety of golf
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The Ridgewood Country Club.
PAST AND PRESENT
during the season, is a wonderful place for tobogganing and coasting during the winter.
Tennis, curling, archery and trapshooting are other outdoor sports indulged in by the members, their families and guests during the various seasons of the year.
The clubhouse contains a high-class café and restaurant, bowling alleys, billiard and pool tables and a fine dancing pavilion that fur- nishes amusement and recreation throughout the entire year. The views from the clubhouse veranda are of surpassing beauty. On clear days and nights the lofty buildings of New York are clearly visible in the distance and the surrounding country in every direction fur- nishes a panoramie picture beyond description.
The membership at present is limited to two hundred and fifty regular and special members, but the limit will, in all probability, be raised to three hundred, as there are several applications on the wait- ing list and experience indicates that the club can comfortably accom- modate three hundred members.
Town Club
The present Town Club had its origin a few years prior to 1898 in an organization then known as the Ridgewood Juniors, having for its original officers :
President Secretary
JOHN G. ZABRISKIE,
. CHARLES STEWART,
Treasurer FRANK C. SMACK.
This organization consisted of nine members: John G. Zabriskie, J. Robert Maltbie, Frank C. Smack, Charles Van Dien, Charles Stewart, Fred Bykeeper, Everett Hopper, William Haight and Fred Z. Board.
The Juniors grew in numbers and in 1898 termed themselves the White Stars, a little later increasing to such proportions as to warrant the renting of a home at what is now No. 23 Hope Street. Later rooms in Hutton Hall were rented.
In 1901 they were incorporated as the White Stars. The organiza- tion papers, dated June 14, 1901, specified that it was to be "An association of less than five hundred members associated for the en- couragement and practice of indoor and outdoor athletics." These papers were signed by John G. Zabriskie, then President; Herbert A. Obrig. Secretary ; Frank C. Smack, Treasurer, and also by John Robert Maltbie, Joseph F. Carrigan, Jr., and Charles W. Eichells, Jr., acting for the club. Shortly afterward the club purchased the property at South Maple Avenue, where in June, 1904, the clubhouse was opened. The house has since been acquired by the F. & A. M. of Ridgewood.
Under date of July 22, 1912, the amended certificate of incorpora- tion was filed changing the name from the "White Star Athletic Club" to the "Town Club of Ridgewood." This amended certificate was signed by the following trustees: JJohn B. Cavagnero, Edward Maxon, William C. Siegert, Harold Dwight, Frederick Pfeiffer, Bayly Hipkins, Thomas P. Walls, A. S. Maerz, M. F. Bargebuhr and John G. Zabriskie. At that time Walter L. Dawson was President and Robert V. Bates, Secretary.
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This amended certificate specified as the purposes of the Town Club the "engaging in all forms and classes of athletic sports and generally to promote and maintain social intercourse among, to encourage the literary pursuits of, and to provide entertainment and recreation for its members."
During the winter of 1912-1913, the present property on North Maple Avenue, consisting of approximately 12 acres, was purchased. Because the Town Club had always taken a lively interest in local affairs, it consented to sell the Ridgewood Avenue property previously used by the White Stars as an athletic field, to the Village to become a part of the new high school site.
Carrying out the purposes of the organization, the club now pro- vides for its members bowling on four excellent alleys, billiards, pool, whist and other card games, library, dancing and ballroom in the club- house, baseball and tennis on the grounds, there being five excellent courts for the latter game. Ladies have the privilege of the clubhouse as specified by various actions of the Board of Governors, and the families of members, as well as the school teachers, have the privileges of the tennis courts. The baseball diamond and the football field have been gratuitously given over for the use of the Ridgewood High School baseball and football teams.
A limit of 250 has been placed upon the club membership as now constituted, and 238 of this number have been secured.
Paramus Valley Photographic Association
On March 23, 1903, a number of amateur photographers met in the evening in the Tower Room of the Y. M. C. A. Building-the Opera House-to consider the question of organizing. In April the Paramus Valley Photographic Association was launched with the following mem- bership :
President Vice-President
HENRY W. HALES. C. H. LOMAX MITCHELL,
I. P. LAWTON,
Sceretary Treasurer A. A. FITZHUGH.
Everet L. Zabriskie, Jos. Carrigan, Leonard A. Smith, Austin Hanks, S. S. McCready, Maurice Hopkins, P. G. Delamater, H. D. Hartley, F. H. Howland, Peter O. Terheun, Theodore Obrig, and George Fer- guson. At intervals the membership was augmented by the addition of the following: G. D. Clippel, II. V. Townsend, II. W. Wilson, W. H. Moore, W. JJ. Tonkin, Chas. A. Throckmorton, Jos. J. Smith, Harvey Blauvelt, E. W. Cobb, Jas. J. Bailey, Geo. M. Schinzel and A. Lee Don.
The declared purpose of the association was the "advancement of the science and art of photography." Of those who were enrolled, there were a few who devoted most of their spare time to photographie work, and these were the ones upon whom the labor devolved when an outing or an exhibition was to be organized. Monthly meetings were held and were well attended.
In June, 1903, the first annual exhibition was given in the room of the Library Association, First National Bank Building. On this occa-
PAST AND PRESENT
ston, more than four hundred photographs were shown and, in addition to the prints exhibited, there were many lantern slides and transparen- cies, all of which had been produced by members. The exhibition was well attended and the association was encouraged to greater effort.
The 1904 exhibit was well received and the work of the members showed much improvement both in choice of subjects and composition. The artistic discrimination was notable and the distinction between the ordinary amateur photograph of the preceding season and the later work of the members was accentuated by comparison.
In the 1905 exhibition the association conducted a competition open to all amateurs, without regard to membership. Ten solid silver cups were provided as prizes. Twenty entrants displayed more than four hundred prints in Hutton Hall. Nineteen persons entered 197 pictures in the several competitive classes. A feature of the exhibit was a col- lection of 33 photographs of old houses in Bergen County, all of which were of historie value. This was the work of Mr. B. H. Allbee, then Vice-President of the Bergen County Historical Society. A notable fact in connection with the display was the contribution of specimens of photographie skill by amateurs residing in distant towns and cities- Hackensack, N. JJ .; Detroit, Mich .; Bristol, England; Portland, Me. ; Allendale, N. J., and Brooklyn, N. Y. On the evening of the second day, the exhibition was closed with the display of 225 stereopticon views, the product of home talent.
In the meantime, the association members made excursions into the regions about Ridgewood in all kinds of weather and many were the unique pictures made in spring, summer, autumn and winter. There were many requests for the loan of photos for exhibition in the fairs and entertainments of other clubs. The meetings were often enlivened by demonstrations of methods of working, from the choosing of the point of view from which to obtain the best results of light and shade. to the development of original ideas of mounting and framing the resultant print.
Woman's Club of Ridgewood, N. J.
One of Ridgewood's most valned assets is its Woman's Club which was organized in 1909, federated in 1910 and later incorporated in 1914. The following served as the original officers:
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