Crestwood Lake
Throughout the twentieth century, the lure of Crestwood Lake was putting Allendale, NJ on the map as a summer getaway. The development of this resort spot came as somewhat of an accident. In the late 1920s, business partners Stephen T. Van Houten Jr. and Christopher J. Smith purchased 34 acres with the intent of creating a residential lake community. The dam was built and only one lakefront lot was sold when the Great Depression hit. In order to pay for the construction of the dam and the property taxes, Van Houten and Smith opened the lake for swimming. It was a great success and eventually, more acreage was purchased for this wonderful resort. In the early 1930s, a day’s admission for a guest was 25 cents. As the years passed a family membership or day’s admission fee included a pastoral setting surrounding the lake with sandy beaches, swimming, 2 large water slides, see-saws, 16 rafts, a 30-foot diving tower with the platform, Sunday diving exhibitions, basketball courts, swings and picnics in the apple orchard. For an additional fee there was a 9-hole chip & put course, archery, and pony rides, as well as swim instruction offered by a certified swim instructor. A 40-foot water spray was installed for aeration and dramatic effect. Families traveled here from far and near NJ and NY all summer long. During the war years of the 1940s when gasoline was strictly rationed, the Erie Railroad assigned special trains to pick up hundreds of passengers along the way destined for a day at Crestwood Lake! These ran to/from Jersey City to Allendale on Saturdays & Sundays. For almost 80 years Allendale’s residents and their guests have been creating fabulous memories at “Crestwood Park”, a beautiful treasure that will be enjoyed for generations to come.
The Grand Stand Field
It stands regally over the major league diamond on the first base foul line. It was first built in 1915 and then in 1935, it was replaced. Over the years it has always served as the diamond for the next level of organized baseball after little league. There were also semi-professional baseball teams playing there in the '30s and '40s. There were two teams at the time, the A’s and the B’s. One remembrance from then was when the A’s put a very well known player on their team. He wasn’t recognized until he hit a home run over the scoreboard. That man was Babe Ruth. The grandstand was revitalized recently in the 2000s by the Allendale Recreation Commission & the Holiday Observers and painted by the local Boy Scouts to give it its look as it is today.
Allendale Hotel
The Allendale hotel was originally built in 1870 by Herman Tallman. The hotel was never very successful and the original hotel was torn down in 1887. In 1892 Henry J. Mansfield came to Allendale to run the new hotel. By 1896 the hotel was being run by Lyman F. Bradley who ran it until 1903. After Bradley, a man named Bierman conducted the hotel's business until about 1907 when Valentine J. Braun moved to Allendale and took over management of the hotel. He continued to run the hotel until his death in 1931. In 1935 Michael Connelly brought his wife, Maude McKinley Connelly, and his five daughters to Allendale and began to run the Allendale Hotel. Upon his death in 1938 his widow, who was known as "Mom" Connelly, continued as proprietor of the hotel. In 1947, when Mrs. Braun, owner of the hotel, died Mrs. Connelly purchased the Ackerman house at 67 West Allendale Avenue and built it into what is today's Allendale Bar and Grill (the AB & G. ) Mrs. Connelly died about 2 years ago. In 1964, William J. Dixon, owner of Towne Cleaner, bought the old hotel and renovated it, including lowering the tower and raising the porch roof over the second story on tall columns. Allendale Hotel used to be where the commuters parking lot is today
Allendale Trolley Tracks
During 1907 - 1908 the North Jersey Rapid Transit was built. The Interurban Interlude was a high speed electric trolley. Its purpose was to provide transportation to those who could not afford automobiles. The trolley provided an economical pleasant means to get from place to place. The historic trolley line carried North Jersey travelers from Broadway in East Paterson (Elmwood Park) to Suffern NY from 1910 to 1928. The 15-mile line stopped in Fair Lawn, Glen Rock, Ridgewood, Hohokus, Waldwick, Allendale, Ramsey, and Mahwah. After operating for a short time, there was a terrible head-on collision on July 21, 1911, in Ridgewood / Glen Rock area in which 3 men were killed and others injured due to faulty signals on the line. The settlements resulting from this accident and the quiet squeeze of the Public Service is not leasing the line permission to operate over its trackage to Paterson and Edgewater all helped to write the end for the NJRT. Public Service took over the line later and for a short time operated it but the trolley never operated at a profit. Service was discontinued in 1929. Today, there is some evidence of the trolley path in Hohokus and Glen Rock. In Ramsey, it has become a bike path.
Allendale Strawberry Fields
During the early 1800s, the “Allendale” area was full of strawberry fields. For more than 50 years, Bergen county was filled with strawberries during June which is the best time for growing. The opening of the Erie Railroad only expanded the strawberry markets. In 1846, more than 400,000 baskets of strawberries were shipped out of Bergen County on the first Erie fruit trains. These strawberries were shipped to Newark, Patterson, and New York City. Strawberries became so popular that 1.5 million baskets of strawberries on 1,100 wagons traveled on Franklin Turnpike in the last week of June 1958. Strawberry pickers came from all around to be paid 1 cent per ½ pint basket plus housing. By 1859, the railroad began to bring its first commuters to the area. New Yorkers looking for a healthy country life began to settle in the Allendale area and its neighboring towns. The 1870s became the beginning of the end of the strawberry frenzy in the Allendale era. Farmers began to realize that their farmland could bring them more money when sold as building sites than it did when planted with crops. Some wealthy city people established summer homes here, and others came to vacation. By the 1880′s, Allendale gained a reputation as the “Newport of Bergen County.” By 1900, there were no more strawberry farms in Allendale. Today the Strawberry Fields have been turned into houses for new residents of Alendale.
Allendale Bar & Grill
Back in 1935, the Allendale Bar & Grill had its humble beginnings as a neighborhood tavern located in the basement of the old Allendale Hotel. Owned by Mike & Maude Connelly, the establishment even then was known for its great food and generous portions at bargain prices. Maude, who took care of the kitchen, was known countywide for her generosity of those who found themselves down and out. Hoboes and vagrants dropping off the freight trains that rumbled through town were assured of a meal before passing on. She also established the tradition of inviting residents in for a free corned beef & cabbage dinner every Saint Patrick’s Day, which was much appreciated in the Depression years. It’s said that in her day there wasn’t a fire in Allendale that Maude didn’t attend to provide hot food & drink to the town’s volunteer firefighters. Yankees immortal Babe Ruth was a frequent visitor. In 1948, the AB&G relocated to its present site on West Allendale Avenue. Maude and her five daughters lived in the house next to the tavern. Gradually, she turned over more and more of the operation to her eldest, Marge, and her husband Walt Kunisch, who ran the bar operations at night while working as a printer during the day. Pizza to eat in and “to go” was added to the basic menu. In fact, third generation owner Michael Kunisch learned the restaurant trade literally at his father’s knee by folding pizza boxes when he was just five years old. In 1975, Mike Kunisch and his wife, Bobbie, assumed full ownership and control of the AB&G. Anticipating the trend towards moderate drinking and more wholesome food, they initiated a major renovation and expansion program that transformed the AB&G into the cheery, country style restaurant it is today.
The John Fell House
The John Fell House is a Revolutionary War Era home that was almost demolished to make way for condos. A group of local citizens formed a non-profit to purchase and restore the John Fell House. They are continually working on it and docents give tours and historical talks during a few open houses a year. Each year, they put on a costumed re-enactment of the Arrest of John Fell by the British...a fun event for the whole family. The house was constructed in the 1760s with additions in the 1830s and 1915 that expanded the structure to 7,000 square feet. John Fell Bergen County Patriot was a merchant who before the Revolution had vessels plying the Hackensack and Passaic Rivers. He lived in Allendale at his home called “Peterfield”, known now as the Fell House. As a member of the first continental congress of the United States, John Fell ratified the constitution, Not only was this house home to John Fell but it was also Allendale’s First Sunday School, and guest home to civil war hero Joseph Warner Allen, whom Allendale is named after.
The Celery Farm
Howdy Folks. Let's Talk about the celery farm. The celery farm started out as a real life celery farm in Allendale NJ. In 1952 it was purchased by the town and dedicated for preservation. The Celery Farm is a 107-acre freshwater wetland in Allendale, New Jersey, and is open to the public during daylight hours every day of the year. Dogs are not permitted, and other prohibited activities include fishing, boating, feeding wildlife, littering, picking plants and flowers, operating model aircraft and drones. Over 240 species of birds have been recorded here, and more than 50 are known to breed here. The wetlands and deciduous woods provide habitat for many mammals, fish, reptiles, and insects. Current bird sightings, and a wealth of other data, are available at the eBird hotspot for the Celery Farm.
Allendale Toll Gate House
During the first half of the 19th century, our area was known as “The Turnpike, ‘’ taking its name from the newly chartered toll road running through the settlement - Franklin Turnpike. It was chartered as a toll road in 1806 and was once part of the Albany Post Road. A toll gatehouse once stood on the southwest corner of the intersection of Franklin Turnpike and Crescent Avenue (It’s well house still stands today.) After two fires in June and September of 1933, the old toll gate house was condemned and razed late that same year. In 1949, Mrs. Fred Koster, who lived nearby on Franklin Turnpike, retold a tale she had heard from her grandmother, Mrs. Gary Storm. Mrs. Storm, who lived in the toll gatehouse from the late 1800s until her death about 1930, heard the story from older residents. Sometime during the 19th century, according to the tale, the toll gate house became known as “the house the elephant kicked over.” The elephant, part of a circus traveling along the turnpike, became entangled in the toll chain attached to the building. As a result, the elephant pulled down a section of the building. The damage must have been soon repaired, for the house continued in use for many years. Amazing as the story seems, it appears that such an event could indeed have actually happened, for such circuses and animal shows were not unknown in this area. On November 1st, 1833, Martha Ann Zabriskie of Saddle River wrote in her diary, “A great show of animals has been at New Prospect.”
