One hundred years ago on March 18, the Grover Cleveland Birthplace was sold to the Grover Cleveland Birthplace Association. The sale date coincides with the birthday of the 22nd and 24th U.S. President, who was born in Caldwell on March 18, 1837.  In 1913, the foundation of the Grover Cleveland Birthplace Memorial Association was marked with a parade on Bloomfield Avenue shown in the photo above.  The photograph appears in John Collins' book, "Remembering the Caldwells." Local resident Richard Gibbs donated a copy of the book to the Grover Cleveland Birthplace Memorial Association Saturday at…

The origins of the Caldwell Public Library can be traced to a collection of 300 books circulated among the villagers of Horse Neck in the late 1780s. The library was established by The Presbytery Society and was housed in a small building near a church. These local history facts and more can be found at an exhibit currently on display at the Caldwell Public Library, which was established in 1917 with $10,000 from the Carnegie Foundation. The display includes photographs from the recent Mayors' Legacy for Literacy gala. The evening raised $32,000 to support essential library services. The …

The Caldwell Public Library’s local history collection is a little richer thanks to recent donations made by former Caldwell resident Robert A. Young. Among other items, Young donated a 1922 Grover Cleveland High School (now James Caldwell High School) yearbook which belonged to his mother, Emelda (Holt) Young. The copy of the Clarion joins the many Caldwell yearbooks available at the library. But their collection is not complete. According to the winter newsletter, the library is missing the following years and would appreciate donations. 1926-1928 1930-1933 1936 1939-1944 1948-1952 1954-…

The West Caldwell Fire Department was incorporated 100 years ago on on August 5, 1912. The following list of founding members was read at a centennial celebration held at the firehouse this August 5. A community wide celebration is planned for Saturday, Sept. 22 at the firehouse. See any familiar names? Tell us about your ancestors, share memories in the comments.  1.            Clifford J. Baldwin – Chief 2.            J. Beach – Firefighter 3.            F. Beam –Foreman 4.            G.E. Best – Chief 5.            H. Best – Firefighter 6.            J. Brody – Foreman 7.            R. …

Do you recognize any of the charming young men or lovely young ladies in this 1946 photo? They are all members of Miss Galloway's sixth grade class at Lincoln Elementary School in Caldwell. Ted Bekefi, circled in red, sent Patch this 66-year-old photo. He circled his best friend, Duane Bruce, in blue. Bruce now lives in Tallinn, Estonia. Befeki is living in San Francisco. The classmates are members of the Grover Cleveland High School Class of 1952, which will hold its 60th reunion on Sept. 13.  Share your school memories from the Caldwells in the comments. And if you recognize any students in…

The West Caldwell Volunteer Fire Department (WCVFD) was incorporated on August 5, 1912. Past and present members recently celebrated the 100th anniversary of the WCFD with an ice cream social. A community-wide celebation will be held on Saturday, Sept. 22.  The WCVFD, with assistance from the West Caldwell Public Library, the West Caldwell Township Clerk's Office and Steve Williams of the Chatham Borough Volunteer Fire Department, put together the following early history about the volunteer fire department. In 1912, the population of West Caldwell was about 600 people. There were about 50 …

Notre Dame Roman Catholic Church in North Caldwell will have a 50th Anniversary liturgy on Sunday, June 10, at noon. There will be a procession of longtime parishioners and their invited guests, as well as former clergy members. The Mass will be followed by a brunch in the Parish Center. Notre Dame was founded in 1962 by Fr. John E. Murphy to serve a growing population of West Essex Catholics who had moved to the area primarily from Newark.  In the early years, Fr. Murphy purchased a home to serve as a rectory, and the rectory basement was the site of the weekday Eucharist, with as many as 70…

Caldwell’s rare New Jersey Militia Company flag from the War of 1812 has come home. After a year and a half undergoing conservation and stabilization, the fragile, 200-year-old artifact is on display at the Crane Homestead, Westville Avenue, West Caldwell. It may be viewed after the Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 28, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Although there were no battles fought within the state of New Jersey during the War of 1812, New Jersey residents were painfully aware of the risks they faced if the British attacked New York Harbor. Many people then living were veterans or …

Two local organizations have been awarded grants from the New Jersey Historical Commission. The Historical Society of West Caldwell and the Grover Cleveland Birthplace Memorial Association each received grants in the amount of $11,556, according to a recent announcement. With its grant money, the Historical Society of West Caldwell plans to collaborate with the Grover Cleveland Birthplace and the Caldwell Public Library to digitize approximately 500 glass negatives, according to historian Beverly W. Crifasi. A collection of The Caldwell Observer, a rare 19th-century newspaper, will be donated…

The Historical Society of West Caldwell is currently restoring a War of 1812 flag flown by Caldwell Township, Essex County Cavalry Militia unit between 1812-1820. But board members are stuck on a critical question: which side of the 200-year-old flag should be displayed? One side of the historic flag depicts a horse-mounted soldier representing the “Essex Squadron.” The other features the New Jersey crest flanked by two women and represents the “Caldwell Troop.” The delicate flag cannot be hung vertically, ruling out the option of displaying it in a clear glass encasement. And a clear case …

Congregation Agudath Israel (CAI) of West Essex is celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2012. Before the congregation moved to a parcel of land on the corner of Academy Road and Elizabeth Street in Caldwell in the 1950s, local Jewish families worshipped in a one-room stucco building on Washburn Place. A groundbreaking ceremony for the Community House of the Jewish League of Caldwell took place on March 13, 1922. Depicted in the image above are some of the founders, including, fourth from right, Isaac Levy. Levy is the maternal grandfather of longtime Caldwell resident and CAI member Paul …

A War of 1812 painted militia flag currently undergoing restoration was the topic at a recent meeting of the Rotary Club of the Caldwells, which featured special guest Bev Crifasi, historian of the Historical Society of West Caldwell. The Rotary shared with the Patch details about Crifasi's presentation on the rare flag believed to have been flown by the Caldwell Calvary Unit in the early 1800s. The military flag was donated to the Historical Society of West Caldwell in 1994. It is approximately 30 1/2” h x 42” w. It is a two-sided painted flag with different images on each side, against a …

Before moving to Academy Road in Caldwell in the early 1950s, members of Congregation Agudath Israel of West Essex worshiped in the one-room building at 6 Washburn Place pictured here. CAI was founded in 1920 as the Jewish League of Caldwell by approximately 30 area families, according to historical information posted on the synagogue's website. The property on Washburn was purchased in 1922 and became the site of a new white stucco building, their first shul. As the area’s Jewish population grew and the building became too small, High Holy Days were observed at the nearby Women’s Building on…

Caldwell has had a local paper, The Progress, for 100 years and briefly had the Caldwell News in the 1890s through 1906.  Less known is the Caldwell Observer which published 65 issues in the late 1870s. The Historical Society of West Caldwell is in the process of having 50 surviving copies microfilmed and digitized for the use of the public. Additional copies are being sought to borrow and photograph so the content can be added. None of the libraries in the state, other states or the Library of Congress list copies of this newspaper in their collections, making this newspaper very rare. The …

Those in attendance at the Verona Historical Society presentation at the town's Community Center last week were whisked away to the past through pictures and stories of the Essex County Penitentiary, which continues to ignite the imagination of curiosity seekers even after its demolition.The Verona Historical Society sponsored the presentation by local historian Robert Williams and noted photographers Trix Rosen and Leslie Granda-Hill, who displayed their photos taken before the prison was knocked down in June to make room for condominiums.Williams said the penitentiary, which bordered North …

The New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of the Department of State, has announced that a grant of $3,000 has been awarded to the Historical Society of West Caldwell. The money will go toward the restoration and preservation of a painted militia flag believed to have been flown by members of a Caldwell Township, Essex County Cavalry Militia unit between 1812-1820. During this time period the name “Caldwell” referred to old Caldwell Township, which today includes the towns of Cedar Grove, Verona, Roseland, Essex Fells, Livingston, Fairfield, North Caldwell, Caldwell and West Caldwell, …

Going to the White House and we're gonna get married ...  U.S. President Grover Cleveland was a bachelor when he arrived at the White House in 1885. But later that year, a visitor—the daughter of his friend Oscar Folsom—would catch his eye and capture his heart. Cleveland married Frances Folsom on June 2, 1886 in the Blue Room with about 40 guests present. He remains the only U.S. President to be married in the White House, and at the age of 21, Folsom is the youngest-ever First Lady. In Caldwell, where Cleveland was born, the Grover Cleveland Birthplace's most popular artifact is a piece of …

Tuesday night, West Caldwell’s governing body will honor a member of the West Caldwell Police Department who was killed in the line of duty — in 1929. Officer Joseph Trivigno died from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident while escorting the West Caldwell Fire Department back to town from a firemen’s carnival in Livingston. The accident occurred on the evening of June 23, 1929 on Beaufort Avenue in Livingston. Trivigno lost control of his police issued motorcycle and suffered a fractured skull, broken spine and injuries to his arms and legs. Trivigno was transported to Orange Memorial …

The Dec. 26, 2010 blizzard is reminiscent to a storm many longtime Caldwell residents remember clearly from their childhoods and also took place on the day after Christmas. These photos taken on Dec. 26, 1947 are from the personal collection of Richard Gibbs.  Gibbs shared what he knows about the images... "The Bloomfield Avenue photos were taken looking east toward Park Avenue. Note the large round brushes mounted on the front of the trolly. The plow in the front is lifted out of the way. There is also a plow you can see on the left side (facing the trolly). That plow is pulled to the side …

Heard enough about the winter of 2010-11 already? Then rewind to another memorable winter, that of 1948. It's the worst Caldwell resident Sam Kent can recall.  Kent said while the Dec. 26, 2010 storm compares, 1948 was "even bigger than that." He forwarded these stunning black-and-white images taken after "the big  one in '48" by his wife's father. He also shared these recollections: “I was in grammar school. When the school was closed, we had to walk home. I walked down Westville Avenue going to Orton Road and was given a ride in a Becker Farm milk wagon, horse-driven. The driver was my …