PASCACK VALLEY—The holiday rush is on—drive safely, folks! These photographs snapped in downtown Hillsdale show a three-car fender-bender from an early 1960s Christmas season. In our featured image, the photographer is looking south on Broadway from the area of Park Street. Below, the same incident from a different angle, at right, gives a better idea of what happened.
We found a report about three-car crash at Broadway and Park Avenue on Dec. 7, 1962 that likely refers to this incident. The drivers listed were from Washington Township, Emerson, and Fair Lawn.
The vehicle in the foreground of the top photo is a Pontiac police patrol car. An officer and another man are standing at the trunk taking down a report.
Notice the downtown streetscape decorated with wreaths and bells and the Hillsdale Fire Department’s banner advertising Christmas trees for sale. The arrow points toward the firehouse on Hillsdale Avenue, where the firefighters annually sold trees, wreaths, and roping.
Remember some of these stores? Above we see the Pascack Pharmacy at far left with the locksmith next door. That oval sign says Country Club Ice Cream and belonged to Hillsdale Stationers. There’s also the Hillsdale Diner, and beyond that would be Marsala Hardware, Hillsdale Bakery, George Frederic’s Salon and Chicken Delight. Below, Pascack Valley Bank is on the left and the Peterson Jewelry building is on the right.