Did you know Upper Saddle River had a drive in movie theather?
No? Then you are in good company!
If this is the case you really should check out one of Upper Saddle River’s most valued and respected groups, The Upper Saddle River Historical Society.
If you are new to town or have been busy dealing with life you may have missed that Upper Saddle River has a Historical Society. In this small community where many residents come and go, brought here by the desireable address and good schools there aren’t many community diversions. However, one of the most robust and respected groups is The Upper Saddle River Historical Society. Chronicling the history of the borough since its settling in the 1600’s the members of the group work to preserve the record of the borough’s history, settlers and families. It’s most visible presence is the care and preservation of the HOPPER-GOETSCHIUS HOUSE and the restoration of the Slave Cemetary. They recently published an updated version of their book of the history of Upper Saddle River ~ THE LORE OF UPPER SADDLE RIVER ~ which is a full of black and white and color images of the town through the ages and the history of the homea, families, agriculture and industry. This deceptively slim book is full of history and information and if of great interest to residents, students and lovers of history. Their newly designed website is full of information and images. Don’t miss the ‘Shop’ which has some interesting items including books, maps and other gift items. Additionally, the Historical Society ensures that the Upper Saddle River Library is a good source of primary documents on the town. They also can be found on Facebook and Instagram with active and interesting accounts.
Recently the Upper Saddle River Historical Society introduced a series of ‘Hearthside History Chats’ where topics of interest are brought to life. From their Facebook page:
Our next ‘Chat’ will be on February 23rd at 7:00 PM and cover the “Hidden History of Architecture in Upper Saddle River”. Join us on a visual journey through social and architectural history spanning 270 years of structures in USR.
In a town where houses are going down, and up, and the face is constantly changing it is reassuring to know there are people watching and keeping a record. The farms and orchards may be gone, and families changed but they are not forgotten and their contribution to the town is remembered. The Upper Saddle River Historical Society works to ensure that the town history is alive and remembered.
Title thumbnail source: Upper Saddle River Historical Society