When West Milford celebrated its 100th birthday in 1934, the ‘special police’ on duty included Waldo Fredericks, Jack Ryan. Arthur Sisco, Billy Struble, Walter Card, John Moeller Jr., John Moeller Sr. and Les Fredericks. Sommer Stites was chief of the group. Others in the photo are unidentified. They are in front of Brown’s Hotel at Greenwood Lake. (Photo by Charles Rotsaert) Looking back: Police on motorcycles Before West Milford had a full-time police officer or bought its first police car, two “special police” officers patrolled... Columns 26 Mar 2025 | 11:50
Verina Mathews Genader, who received her K-8 education at the one-room Echo Lake School before a second room was added, became a teacher there. She is seated in the back of the primary-grade classroom with first-, second- and third-graders in 1949. (Photo provided) Looking back: A benefit of self-education Children who were educated in the small rural country schools in the West Milford until the mid-1940s, when the last of these... Columns 19 Mar 2025 | 09:30
Newfoundland School seventh- and eighth-graders with their teacher Luella Crowley Kemble in 1949 in the third classroom. In the front row, from left, are Carl Cahill, Patricia Beam and Dawn Jennings. Second row, from left, John Fredericks, Jean Cahill, LeRoy Tice and Mildred Hannah. Third row, from left, Jane Meyer, Carl Stickle, Phyllis Chadwick and Walter Crane. Back row, from left, Bill Reynolds, Shirley Jennings, Wayne Post, Peggy Weaver and M. VanderStad. (Photo provided by the late John Fredericks) Looking back: School turned into restaurant The Grasshopper Irish Pub, located between the north- and southbound lanes of Route 23 off the Clinton Road intersection,... Columns 12 Mar 2025 | 02:15
The Community Fire Company of Newfoundland and Oak Ridge took pride in the equipment they purchased before fire companies in West Milford received financial assistance from the municipality. Chief John McCormack is on the truck with his arm raised. (Photo provided) Looking back: Community Fire Company Originally known as Community Fire Company Number 1 Inc. of Newfoundland and Oak Ridge N.J., the volunteer fire company with... Columns 05 Mar 2025 | 10:25
Mayor Wilbur Fredericks with retiring Road Department employees at their retirement party 60 years ago at Pine Village Grove in Oak Ridge. From left are Fredericks, Theodore Sisco, Thomas Cahill and Clarence Bossard. (File photos by Ann Genader) Looking back: Retirement party in 1965 Clarence Bossard, who started his job with the West Milford Road Department in 1936, remembered when he and his colleagues... Columns 26 Feb 2025 | 10:11
ICE1 West Milford farmers who worked at the Echo Lake ice business are, first row from left, Martin Decker, Edward Decker, Walter Whritenour, Norman Fredericks, superintendent Arthur Kane, Henry Fredericks, Issac Morse, M. Sisco and Charles White. In back row, from left, are Charles Vreeland, Frank O’Dell, Daniel Morse, Ernest Fredericks, Raymond Fredericks, John Kimble, Lewis Sisco, Frank Price, Ernest Zabriskie, Robert Babcock, Thomas Cahill and M. Fredericks. (Photo courtesy of Ann Genader) Looking back: Smaller ice companies Along with the large-scale winter ice businesses at Greenwood Lake and Lake Hopatcong, smaller operations existed at some... Columns 19 Feb 2025 | 10:02
A photo taken nearly 100 years ago at the Mountain Ice Co. business at Greenwood Lake shows workers and a building where the ice was stored. (Photo courtesy of Ann Genader) Looking back: Ice harvesting Before the invention of refrigeration, ice from North Jersey lakes initially was the main source for keeping food fresh.... Columns 12 Feb 2025 | 10:58
The note on a cake honoring school nurse Eileen Upton, right, in 1973 says, ‘Congratulations to someone special.’ The cake was presented by Marshall Hill School PTA president Charlotte Steifel. (File photo by Ann Genader) Looking back: Doctor, nurse who cared for community The kindness, concern and care that two medical professionals showed for families living in West Milford 50 years ago and... Columns 05 Feb 2025 | 11:29
From left, Gilbert Terhune, Wilbur Fredericks and Robert Little are sworn in to council terms in the 1960s by the township clerk, George Eckhardt. (File photo by Ann Genader) Looking back: Mayor fought builders There were just 2,501 people living in year-round homes in West Milford when the United States became part of an ongoing... Columns 22 Jan 2025 | 08:42
Artist Barbara Welti Van Der Sluys in 1989 exhibits some of her oil paintings of the North Jersey area. (File photo by Ann Genader) Looking back: Recalling a champ When he read the “Looking Back” column last week about the memories of Barbara Welti Vander Sluys, whose family home and... Columns 19 Jan 2025 | 06:20
A portion of Wanaque Valley before the Monksville Reservoir covered the land is shown in a drawing by Barbara Van Der Sluys, who grew up there. (Photo courtesy of Ann Genader) Looking back: Before the Monksville Reservoir The landscape visible along Greenwood Lake Turnpike (Passaic County Route 511) from the bridge connecting Ringwood with the... Columns 08 Jan 2025 | 10:15
Jean Kelly, right, teaches student Raegan Kopko, 14, at her fne arts studio in West Milford. (Photo provided) Show features art of teacher, students Jean Kelly’s artistic talent became so well-known and respected after she graduated from West Milford High School in 1979... Entertainment 31 Dec 2024 | 08:52
Looking back: The death of Lisa McBride For 34 years, law enforcement officials have been unable to determine who killed Lisa McBride nor identify who was responsible... Columns 24 Dec 2024 | 02:27
Looking back: St. Joseph Parochial School There were 10 or 12 self-sufficient original communities in West Milford between the 1800s and 1950s. Along the way, the... Columns 13 Nov 2024 | 02:23
The proposed jetport layout. (Photo provided) Looking back: Fight against Jetport plan When Gov. Richard Hughes proposed construction of a jetport on Bearfort Mountain in West Milford and Vernon or at Bowling... Columns 16 Oct 2024 | 03:25
