January 23, 2026

Back in Time

Kristin Beuscher, columnist and president of the Pascack Historical Society, takes readers on a journey back in time through the Pascack Valley and Northern Valley’s rich history. Her “Back In Time” column offers a glimpse into the bygone days of these communities, shedding light on the lives of the people and the places that have shaped the area. With a keen eye for detail and a deep appreciation for local heritage, Kristin brings to life stories of the past, helping residents connect with their roots and gain a greater appreciation for the unique history of their towns.

Hillsdale’s Episcopal Church, Hillsdale Avenue and Trinity Place, at the turn of the 20th century. In January 1896, it was broken into and vandalized.

A burglary spree at Pascack, 130 years ago this week

January 16, 2026 Kristin Beuscher

PASCACK VALLEY—“The inhabitants of Park Ridge and Woodcliff are becoming alarmed at the numerous burglaries that have been perpetuated in the two villages within the last two weeks,” the New […]

TENAFLY - winter scene at station, 1920s

Before the suburbs: Tenafly’s railroad moment

January 12, 2026 Kristin Beuscher

TENAFLY—It’s a 1930s winter in this scene that looks at the Tenafly railroad station. Just look at those old cars! Today the Tenafly station stands as a historical gem in […]

Mrs. Buerk drove them away with her hickory club

January 12, 2026 Kristin Beuscher

EMERSON—“Mrs Emil Buerk of this village is gaining a reputation as an up-to-date woman of nerve and prowess,” began the New York Herald on Jan. 12, 1896. The story comes […]

The Campbell wampum mill—by then already a relic—on Jan. 1, 1901, 125 years ago this week. The mill, now long gone, was on the Pascack Brook near the bottom of Wampum Road.

Winter at the old wampum mill

December 27, 2025 Kristin Beuscher

PARK RIDGE—When the old Campbell wampum mill was photographed 125 years ago, on Jan. 1, 1901, it was already a relic of days gone by in the Pascack Valley. The […]

Hillsdale’s police force in 1928: James Holland, Charles Bulach, Chief Lawrence Foley, William Bulach, and Henry Koelsch. The starting salary for a Hillsdale police officer was $1,650, while the chief made $2,000 a year.

A century ago, a police booth was a Christmas gift to Hillsdale

December 21, 2025 Kristin Beuscher

Hillsdale’s iconic police booth — the first police headquarters in the borough — was a Christmas gift from the Board of Trade, an organization of local businessmen, in 1925. A […]

Grey’s Furniture Store on Park Avenue as it looked before 1906.

Region’s first synagogue was founded in Park Ridge

December 13, 2025 Kristin Beuscher

The first Jewish house of worship in the Pascack Valley was founded in 1923, when 10 families purchased a storefront in downtown Park Ridge. Since the late 19th century, the […]

Norwood corner went from stagecoach stop to ‘Shore Dinners’

December 4, 2025 Kristin Beuscher

“There are two good places to eat—home and here.” That was the motto of Zinke’s Restaurant on Tappan Road in Norwood. Benjamin and Anna Zinke purchased the old Colonial home […]

The magnificent Riley estate, Brookside Pines, stood across from the church site and hosted lawn parties that raised money for the building fund. In 1955, the parish built a school behind the Victorian house. After serving as a preschool and convent, the home was demolished, in 2002.

Klansmen couldn’t stop Hillsdale’s Catholics from building their church

December 4, 2025 Kristin Beuscher

HILLSDALE—Amid frightening pushback from the Ku Klux Klan, Catholic residents of Hillsdale stood their ground in support of building a church in their town. Through their dedication, St. John the […]

Park Ridge officials are amused and mortified in equal measure as their mayor, Donald F. Gelnaw, sports a Glen Rock football sweatshirt at the Dec. 10, 1980 meeting of the governing body. A good sport, Gelnaw was fulfilling the terms of a wager with that borough’s mayor after the state championship tipped Glen Rock’s way, 22-21. Photo: Thomas Moorhead

Two mayors, one wager, and an embarrassing sweatshirt

November 30, 2025 Kristin Beuscher

PARK RIDGE—In this week’s featured photograph, Mayor Donald F. Gelnaw, right, having lost a bet, is forced to wear a Glen Rock High School Panthers sweatshirt at a borough council […]

The story of ‘Turkey John’ Blauvelt

November 21, 2025 Kristin Beuscher

As Park Ridge prepares for Thanksgiving, it seems fitting to revisit the life of a man whose nickname still echoes faintly through local history: “Turkey John” Blauvelt, more properly John […]

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