A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE OAKLAND VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT 1909 – 2014 The Origins of the Oakland Volunteer Fire Department History records that in November, 1903 a major fire was discovered at the large barn of the Calder estate then located where the Coppertree Mall is currently situated and the need for a fire department in Oakland became apparent. Six years later on June 10,1909 a informal meeting was held at Ivy Hall to create a volunteer fire department in Oakland. Ludo Wilkins, the owner of the Wilkins Brush Factory in Oakland, was appointed as the first fire chief. And he served six terms as chief until 1916. In December,…
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History of the Railroad in Oakland
History of the Railroad in Oakland Source: The History of Bergen County, James Van Valen, 1900, p. 185-6 Bergen County
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History of the Van Slyke Castle
The Oakland Castle Oakland, NJ – Hike into History Take a hike. Depending on your tone of voice it can be good advice or a condescending suggestion. In this case it is very good advice because Oakland offers its residents a great opportunity to enjoy outdoor exercise, take in some beautiful scenery, and wander down wooded paths that lead you through local, regional and world history. The hike detailed here starts just off Skyline Drive and is approximately five miles, start to finish. It will take you up through the Ramapo Hills to great vistas where you can visit the ruins of what has been called “The Oakland Castle”, “The Van…
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Email Conversation About the Hansen House and Oakland in the 1930s and 1940s by Those Who Lived It
My name is Sonya Hansen I Just found your wonderful article about Oakland. I was especially excited to see the picture of the Neilsen house. Alf Neilsen was my uncle. My parents Dagny and Hans Hansen brought life into an old building that was about to be torn down. They were able to purchase it for 3,000 dollars for back taxes. We had wonderful neighbors, Pulis, Boone, and Bredimus. Frank Ahlers ran the gas station across the street from us, but I never cared for him. Grumpy, mean old man as far as I was concerned, but I digress. There are five of us, that used to live right there,…
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Memories of Oakland from the 1930s and 1940s
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Ed & Elaine Zindel Remember Old Oakland
Ed & Elaine Zindel Remember Old Oakland Pleasureland and the surrounding area was a kid’s playground like few others. The primary recreational features were the yet unspoiled Ramapo River and Pompton Lake which provided quality fishing, swimming, boating, and ice skating. We also fished Muller’s Brook, Mitchell’s Pond and Delmar’s Pond for the beautiful wild trout which flourished there. Potash’s Island, which we accessed from Island Terrace, was a great place to explore and had some of the best waterfowling and woodcock flights that I have ever seen. Rotten Pond, which was a poacher’s paradise, was a stiff walk from Pool Hollow, but we fished it relentlessly; by day and…
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History of Crystal Lake
History of Crystal Lake This picture is from the 1950’s. I recall the brook running down into the Lake behind Rockaway under the bridge that goes over Lakeside Dr; along with the Large body of water known as the Ramapo River running from Mahwah and Upstate NY. creeks and small ponds around Oakland So I called in someone elder than us, as per my 90 year old grandmother, the inception of the lake was in the 50’s at that time the bodies of waters were known as creeks and small ponds around Oakland and the adjacent towns. She further professed the Damn was built in the 60’s a few years…
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History of Sandy Beach and the Brick Factory
History of Sandy Beach and the Brick Factory Yes this is Sandy Beach, or what would have become Sandy Beach. My grandfather, Bill Ebert, and his partner Frank Stutz, built the park by hand, wheelbarrow and vintage pickup trucks from the old brush factory. The lake was formed by diverting a part of the Ramapo River near where “the Colony” was located at that time, off West Oakland Ave. The brush factory building became a beer garden, in the old German style, and the concrete picnic tables were all built one by one, by hand by my grandfather and his partner. I remember on hot summer weekend days in the…
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Oakland Homeowners to be Assessed
1,700 Oakland homeowners to be assessed for lakes’ maintenance February 2, 2012, 8:52 AM By Philip DeVencentis Staff Writer | Franklin Lakes – Oakland Suburban News OAKLAND – Almost 1,700 property owners are being forced to ante up to maintain two lakes owned by Ramapo Mountain Lakes Inc., though some say they never visit the lakes or even benefit from their existence. Crystal Lake, encircled by Lakeshore Drive, and the much smaller Mirror Lake, between Hiawatha Boulevard and Calumet Avenue, are just a mile apart. But the lake association oversees far more land. The lake association was incorporated in 1944 by National House & Farms Association Inc., a developer that acquired…
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Connie Monks Discusses Former Stores
Connie Monks Discusses Former 4 Stores on RVR Note: Until the mid 1950s, there were 4 stores on RVR directly across from the Coppertree Mall. The Oakland Military Academy was located on the site of the Coppertree Mall until 1963 when it was demolished. Those stores were moved to what is now Elm Street in the 1950s. Constance Williams Monks Oh boy you bring the memories flowing. To the left was Mr. Proskeys antique store. Next was Vic the barber and the the Green Spot luncheonette. The one farthest to the right was a bunch of things. In the forties my brother Bert had a bike shop. He was a kid…
