TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, N.J.—A large house stands there today, but in the 1930s the property at 5 Ridgewood Road in the Township of Washington was home to Eggert’s Service Station.
Owners Henry and Louise Eggert, who are pictured above in front of their prefabricated store, ran one of the earliest gas stations and lunch stops in the township. The photo dates to 1931. Notice the little dog, which looks like a pug, between them.
A lunch board at far left tells us the Eggerts were serving sandwiches, hot dogs, coffee, tea, and more. They also sold cigars, cigarettes and candy. Underneath the window on the left is a display for Seilheimer’s, which was an old brand of soda that was manufactured right in Hackensack.
It might be hard to imagine today, but back when these photographs were taken, the township’s total population was just 402 people (now it’s well over 9,000). Development in town didn’t really take off until after World War II. Still, during the 1930s the township would have seen its share of traffic, particularly in the summer, as at the start of the decade Pine Lake was formed and became a popular swimming destination for folks from all over Bergen County.
The Eggerts’ store stood on Ridgewood Road one lot away from Linwood Avenue. It was originally built in 1928 by the Harris Brothers. Later, in 1956, Anthony and Margaret Schuler bought the place. They renovated it and operated Landmark Motors for many years. In the late 1990s, Landmark was razed and a new house was built in its place.