Recognizing Claire K. Tholl
Our First Borough Historian
Upper Saddle River was fortunate to have as a resident – the noted Bergen County historian and cartographer, Claire K. Tholl, who spent over 30 years researching and mapping the history of our area. For New Jersey’s Tercentenary in 1963 she created a film on the history of Upper Saddle River. She also published a small book on the history of our town and created the historic map of Upper Saddle River.
Claire k. tholl
Photo taken in 1947
When the USR Historical Society was formed in 1977, Claire’s knowledge and extensive research provided the foundation for our archives. She served as a trustee and advisor until her death in 1995. Her reverence for the past still guides us as we work to preserve the Hopper-Goetschius House Museum complex and to research and discover new history to add to our stories. Many of the photos that appear throughout the site came from Claire’s files.
A Brief History of Upper Saddle River
LEnape artifacts found on the berdan property
These Lenape arrowheads and many other artifacts were donated to the Historical Society by Cornelius Berdan in 1979 and
are on display in the Museum.
Archaeologists have found evidence that prehistoric cave dwellers lived in the Saddle River Valley as far back as 7000 years ago. Later, Native American tribes migrated here and, finding the area unpopulated (the cave dwellers had long since disappeared), called themselves the Lenape, or original people.
LEnape drying tree
The large tree seen here was used by the Lenape to dry animal skins on the limbs of the tree. It stood on East Saddle River Road across from the Old Stone Church. When it needed to be cut down a large section was brought to the property of the Hopper-Goetschius House Museum.
In the late 1600s, European settlers began to cross the Hudson from Manhattan Island and make their way up into our area. The first to put down roots in what is now Upper Saddle River was Isaiah Valleau, who in the early 1700s took title to 300 acres where the schools and the Borough Hall are today. Others soon followed, carting their possessions up rough Indian trails along the river. They set about clearing the land for farms and building shelters of local materials, wood and stone.
It is important to also acknowledge that the settling of Bergen County was accomplished with the use of enslaved African Americans. Slaves labored to build houses and churches, clear fields, and build stone walls. Many families had two or three slaves. New York passed a gradual manumission act in 1786 and New Jersey in 1806, but did not pass an act to abolish the practice until 1846. Unfortunately, little is known about the people who lived in Upper Saddle River. The Historical Society oversees the Hopper Slave Cemetery, which is located behind residences on East Saddle River Road and Jan River Drive. Most of the grave markers were knocked down years ago, but some have been located and retained at the Hopper-Goetschius House Museum.
This is one of the last existing markers in the Hopper Slave Cemetery. Tom Dated, editor of the Home & Store News took the photo in the 1970s. In 2011, Alexander Gates of Rutgers University used ground-penetrating radar to locate gravesites at the cemetery. He said that there were more than 100 people buried there.
Cemetery dedication
The cemetery was restored in 2016 and a new iron fence installed. A dedication ceremony was held. Pictured are Rev. Ella Hayes, Associate Minister from Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Hackensack, Boy Scouts Troop 133, David Bernhardt, Eagle Scout Daniel Hynes, Anthony Tarbutton, and Matthea Shames, along with Rev. Robert Fretz of the Old Stone Church and Anthony Cureton, president of Bergen County NAACP.
There are a number of theories on the origin of the name Saddle River, but the most likely is that it came from two Scotsmen exploring the area in the 1600s who thought it resembled the Sadle Burn in their homeland.
George Washington marched his troops up the East Saddle River Road during the Revolution, and the area still a number of buildings in town that date from that era: the Hopper-Goetschius house (1730), which is now a museum, and three private residences: the Terhune-Hopper house on the corner of the West Road and Lake Street, the Hennion-Rudolph house on Pleasant Avenue, and the Nicausie Hopper house on Hopper-Farm Road. Many other homes date from the early 1800s. The Old Stone Church, completed in 1819, replaced an earlier building built in 1787. The Van Riper-Tice barn at the Hopper-Goetschius House Museum dates from 1800 and is a fine example of the New World Dutch barns common in the area.
Looking north to the Old Stone Church in 1898, this photo was taken from the property of Jacob H. Zabriskie. In the distance is the Hopper-Woll house (when it still looked Victorian) and barn and at right a no longer extant barn. The church had stained glass windows here prior to its restoration to the original fenestration of a grid of clear glass lights. Many consider the Old Stone Church to be the most beautiful in Bergen County. It is worth a visit.
Industry came early to the area. In addition to the farms, there were a number of mills situated along the branches of the Saddle River. These were needed to grind grain into feed and flour and to saw wood. Three still exist as private homes: John Post’s mill on Hillside Avenue, another Post mill at 7 Old Stone Church Road, and the Bush mill off West Saddle River Road. All were built about 1800.
Post mill
The Post Mill seen here was built about 1800 on what is now the corner of Old Stone Church Road and West Saddle River Road. It was converted to a private home by the Yeomans family in 1938 and is still owned by the family today.
In 1894 citizens of the area voted to incorporate as a Borough — there were 100 eligible voters in town and 50 of them cast ballots. The new Borough of Upper Saddle River had an assessed valuation of $129,400.
Upper Saddle River was primarily an agricultural community until after World War II, known for its apples and strawberries. The Borough remained small in population (under 800) until the 1950s when the zoning ordinance was passed. To imagine what the town was like back then you would have to take out 95% of the people and the houses. The farms have disappeared and the rural nature of Upper Saddle River has changed, but the homes, the trees, the landscaped yards, the schools and the river itself, continue to make Upper Saddle River a unique and desirable place to live.
By Bill Yeomans, Borough Historian
Walthery’s barn
The barn of John O. Walthery West Saddle River Road and Old Stone Church Road, was originally Henry Hall Goetschius’ barn and later used as a wheelwright shop. Upper Saddle River’s first election was held on the second floor in 1898 because of its central location. 50 people turned up for the election - about half the eligible voters. The photo was taken by the Hopper family in 1928.
Oral Histories of Upper Saddle River
Lizzie Carlough Goetschius prepares a squirrel soup dinner for local friends. Lizzie provided a wealth of information about the town’s history and her own reminiscences.
Since its inception, The Historical Society has been recording both oral and written histories by some of Upper Saddle River’s longtime residents. Over 40 have been done and will be slowly added to this site as they’re transcribed. Please check back periodically for updates and follow the link below to read these remarkable and heartwarming stories of days gone by.
Maps of Upper Saddle River
A detail of the 1912 map showing household names along Lake Street and East and West Saddle River Roads. “G. Goetschius” marks the spot where George Goetschius was living in what is now the Hopper-Goetschius House Museum. See the link below for more maps.
The area has been surveyed many times and there is a wide variety of detail provided by comparing the maps of Upper Saddle River and neighboring towns. It’s important to remember that the name has changed multiple times. It was divided into Harrington and Washington Townships on the east side of the Saddle River and Franklin and HoHoKus Townships on the west side. In 1885 it became Orvil Township and was finally incorporated as the Borough of Upper Saddle River in 1894. The link below will take you to a variety of them.