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Garfield
, situated at the junction of the
Passaic
and
Saddle
Rivers
, was originally the home of the Hackensack Clan of the Leni Lenape
Tribe of the Algonquin Indians who came here thousands of years ago.
They were industrious and made wampum and articles for barter. The
last known Indian, named Nachpunck, lived on the bank of the
Saddle
River
opposite Cantacoy Brook.
In
1679 Jacques Cortelyou from New Utrecht, Long Island, sailed up the
Passaic River and, taking a liking to the place, began negotiations
with the Indians which resulted in the sale of a tract called
Acqueyquinonke covering land from the Saddle River to the Great Rock
(in Glen Rock) lying near the highlands and covered 5320 acres.
Garfield
, north of
Passaic Street
, was a wilderness, inhabited by wild animals. In 1720 money was
raised by taxation to pay for killing bears, panthers, wolves, foxes
and wildcats.
Around
the turn of the 20th century,
Ga
rfield
grew rapidly, not only in population, but in its industries as well.
Although
Garfield
became predominantly a textile manufacturing community, other types
of companies thrived here too. Fritzche Brothers, a German chemical
company, started in 1873, is recognized as the first “modern”
factory in
Garfield
and was located near the corner of
River Drive
and
Hudson Street
. They made oils and perfumes. By 1903, the Heyden Chemical Company
had taken over the plant and the site was later occupied by Tenneco
Chemical and Kalama Chemical. The Hammersley Manufacturing Plant was
located on
River Drive
near
Midland Avenue
. Tradition has it that Seigfried Hammersley invented wax paper when
a candle tipped over pouring wax onto paper.
Garfield
was once part of the Township of Saddle River, which was originally
created in 1737. Garfield broke away to become a borough on March
15, 1898 and the State Legislature set Garfield’s same boundaries
which exist today. On April 19, 1917, the borough became the City of
Garfield
.
The area of
Garfield
is 1,333 acres or 2.08 square miles with an elevation from 10 to 160
feet. The City has more than 20 places of worship, a YMCA, a
Boys and Girls Club,
City
Recreation
Center
, Senior Citizens Center,
Health
Center
, Public Library, five volunteer Fire Companies and a volunteer Ambulance
Corps.
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