June 8, 2025

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.

When women worked a revolution

April 23, 2023 Kristin Beuscher

PARK RIDGE—The weather is warming in our little corner of the world, and people are getting outside more. If you lived in the Pascack Valley around 1900, one of the […]

Acting Owls Took on Shakespeare

April 14, 2023 Kristin Beuscher

PARK RIDGE—A century ago, Park Ridge High School’s senior class brought down the house with its production of Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice,” presented in the school auditorium April 20–21, […]

160-year-old scene on West Street

March 5, 2023 Kristin Beuscher

CLOSTER, NJ — The United States was embroiled in the Civil War, but West Street in Closter presented a tranquil scene in this photograph taken in the winter of 1863. On […]

News classic: Fire chief averts panic

March 5, 2023 Kristin Beuscher

WESTWOOD—Hearing someone shout Fire! in a crowded theater is such cause for panic that this scenario is often used as an example of the limits of free speech. It was […]

Feb. 19 for findings in historic ‘shell game’

February 23, 2023 Kristin Beuscher

PARK RIDGE—When the old Campbell wampum mill was photographed at the start of the 20th century, it was already a relic of days gone by in the Pascack Valley. The […]

Postwar shopping in Washington Township

February 23, 2023 Kristin Beuscher

TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Years before a shovel hit the dirt to construct the large shopping center on Pascack Road in the Township of Washington, there was the Washington Center. The structure, […]

A Westwood schoolhouse of long ago

February 17, 2023 Kristin Beuscher

WESTWOOD—As today’s kids get ready for a long Presidents’ Day weekend, here is a look back at a long-ago school that was named for Honest Abe. The kids in this […]

A striking impression in Park Ridge

February 4, 2023 Kristin Beuscher

PARK RIDGE—By Industry We Flourish. Those four words appear on Park Ridge’s borough crest, but the motto didn’t just come out of nowhere. These days it’s mostly history-minded people who […]

Back in Time

Vintage view down Hillsdale Avenue

January 21, 2023 Kristin Beuscher

HILLSDALE—It was a moment in time captured: A view into downtown Hillsdale in the winter of 1978. The first thing most will notice in the photograph above is the police […]

Warm up at Merusi’s Tavern

January 7, 2023 Kristin Beuscher

WOODCLIFF LAKE—Come on in! Pull up a seat! Merusi’s Tavern was at 62 Broadway at the corner of Lincoln Avenue. The photograph above, from the Pascack Historical Society’s archives, was […]

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