1666 Settlers from Connecticut first land in Newark. 1667 First purchase: "...backwards into the country to the foot of the great mountains called Watchung." circa 1710 Settlers first make their home in the valley. 1780 Valley farmers (John Headley & others) join Battle of Springfield against the British. Gen. George Washington visits the Ball farm. 1796 Asher B. Durand born ... to become Maplewood's most famous son. 1798 Name Jefferson Village given to area centering not far from foot of Oakland Road; is part of the town of Springfield. 1806 Orange, created out of part of Newark, includes northern part of present day Maplewood. 1820 Asher B. Durand begins career in Newark as an engraver's apprentice; late is a founder of the Hudson River School of landscape painting. 1831 Lewis Pierson starts building his mill in Vaux Hall area. 1834 Township of Clinton formed, including the settlement along Valley Street, the eastern hills, and South Orange. 1838 Morris & Essex Railway build through town; Stone House Station a flagstop. 1855 Famous inventor Seth Boyden retires to a house in Hilton given to him by the Newark manufacturers he had so much benefited. He cultivates a large strawberry, which brings prosperity to Hilton area farms. d.1870. 1857 Jefferson Village included in newly formed town of Millburn. 1860 First railway station, called Maplewood station, is built at Baker Street. 1861 South Orange Township created from parts of Orange, Springfield & Clinton. 1863 Jefferson Village becomes part of South Orange. 1869 School building completed by Daniel B. Carpenter on site of present post office. late 1860's Teddy Roosevelt, future President, spends childhood summers early '70's here on the country estate of his aunt and uncle, Laura and Cornelius Roosevelt. 1880 Name of Hilton comes into use for the area around Tuscan Road and Springfield Pike (formerly, from 1830 to 1880, known as Middleville.) 1882 Hilton Reading Club, precursor to Hilton Library, is organized. 1899 First volunteer fire department organized. 1902 Railroad station built on Dunnell Road. 1903 Village of South Orange withdraws to form a separate municipality, leaving the remaining 3.85 sq. miles as the Township of South Orange. 1908 In first steps toward forming an athletic club, come citizens buy the DeGrasse farm on Baker Street and undertake to convert the barn to a club house. 1913 Maplewood Library organized in the valley. Seth Boyden School erected. 1914 Fielding School erected. 1920 The Field Club changes its name to Maplewood Country Club and undertakes to build an 18-hole golf course on newly acquired lands. 1920's Building boom in underway, transforming Maplewood from rural to suburban. Elementary schools built were Jefferson, Tuscan (1925) and Clinton (1928). 1922 Township of South Orange officially becomes Township of Maplewood, taking the name from the train stop. 1922 The two libraries join and reorganize as a tax-supported municipal library. 1927 Columbia High School erects new building near border with South Orange. 1929 Construction of the Ward Homestead begins, under provisions of Marcus L. Ward, Jr.'s will to build a retirement home for gentlemen. 1930 Final steam locomotive runs as rail line electrified. 1931 Memorial Park dedicated; design by Frederick Law Olmstead's firm. 1932 Municipal Building built. 1933 Adult School started - New Jersey's first. 1956 Library construction begins at 51 Baker Street and, after occupancy in 1957, the former building razed to make room for a new Post Office. 1958 Post Office on Maplewood Avenue dedicated. 1959 Hilton Branch Library vacates upper floor of Hilton firehouse and moves to its new building on Springfield Avenue at Tuscan Road. 1966 Municipal Pool opens. 1968 Columbia High School students invent Ultimate, a football-like field game using a Frisbee flying disc. 1969 Main Library expanded. 1970 South Mountain YMCA formed. 1984 Morris & Essex rail line modernized with new cars and AC powers. 1985 Community Center erected in DeHart Park; night lights for ball - playing added. 1988 Burgdorff Cultural Center deeded to Township and becomes the official home of The Strollers theater group.
|
|
Main Map |