From 1975 Scrapbook of News Articles

1630 – Dutch colonists settle Bergen County.

1665 – Bergen Township (now Jersey City) becomes English colony.

1693 – New Barbadoes Township formed from Bergen Township.

1710 – Bergen County starts to be reshaped into present area.

1737 – Saddle River Township formed from New Barbadoes Township.

1775 – Harrington Township formed from Saddle River Township

Sept. 28, 1778 – Baylor Massacre on Rivervale Road

Jan. 30, 1840 – Washington Township formed from part of Harrington

Township

1856 – First schoolhouse built on Pascack Road

Dec. 25, 1869 – First railroad train enters “Hillsdale”

March 4, 1870 – Railroad opened to public at Hillsdale station

March 1870 – Daily mail service inaugurated

1871 – Present park area in center of town donated by David P. Patterson

1873 – Railroad extended to Haverstraw, NY and town becomes railroad

center

May 3, 1874 – Hillsdale Methodist Episcopal Church organized

June 29, 1890 – Holy Trinity Episcopal Church holds first services

1898 – Magnolia Avenue School #2 opened

MARCH 25, 1898 – HILLSDALE INCORPORATED AS TOWNSHIP AFTER

STATE LEGISLATURE ENABLES BREAK-AWAY FROM WASHINGTON

TOWNSHIP

April 23, 1898 – Board of Education organized

May 7, 1900 – NY & NJ Telephone Co. (now NJ Bell) granted franchise. First telephone installed in home of Thomas C. Demarest on Summit Avenue (Broadway)

May 6, 1901 – Township clerk authorized to purchase pair of handcuffs for use of constable

April 1902 – Hillsdale Fire Association and Ladies Auxiliary organized

1902 – First macadam laid on Summit and Railroad Avenue (now Broadway)

Sept. 3, 1903 – Water franchise granted Hackensack Water Co. to lay water lines and fire hydrants

1907-08 – Special town meetings authorize $45,000 to macadamize all

accepted town streets

1913 – First post office building erected under Postmaster John W. Kinmouth

July 7, 1913 – First uniformed special police officer appointed

1916 – Hillsdale Boy Scout Troop 1 organized by Holy Trinity Episcopal Church

April 17, 1917 – Hillsdale Loyal League formed in World War I

1919 – Hillsdale American Legion Post 162 organized. Re-designated in 1929 as General Leonard Wood Memorial Post 162

1921 – New twelve room schoolhouse built (now George White School)

July 8, 1921 – Hillsdale Fire Department created

April 24, 1923 – Borough form of government adopted

Nov. 1923 – Board of Health organized

1924 – Girl Scout troop organized

Sept. 15, 1924 – Avolia Transportation Co. of Paterson inaugurates first bus service from Hillsdale to Paterson

1925 – First assigned Road Dept. organized with Axel Gufstafson using wheel barrow and hand tools

Dec. 13, 1925 – St. John the Baptist R.C. Church dedicated

Jan. 1927 – Hillsdale National Bank opens with W. Merle Hoffman as cashier (now Pascack Valley Bank & Trust Co.)

Nov. 9, 1927 – Borough Planning Board appointed

July 13, 1928 – Regular Police Dept. organized

Dec. 11, 1928 – First council meeting held in present borough hall after

purchase from Exempt Firemen’s Association in 1927

April 5, 1929 – Sun dial Garden Club organized to beautify town

July 23, 1929 – Zoning Board of Adjustment organized

April 1931 – Shade Tree Commission formed

June 1933 – Hillsdale Businessmen’s Association organized

1934 – Hillsdale Recreation Committee formed

Jan. 27, 1936 – Public library beings to distribute books

June 23, 1938 – Municipal Assistance Commission organized

May 23, 1941 – Hillsdale Defense Council formed in World War II

July 16, 1945 – Parks & Playgrounds Commission organized

1951 – Hillsdale votes to form Pascack Valley Regional High School District with Montvale, River Vale and Woodcliff Lake

1951 – Municipal Garbage Collection begins

Feb. 1, 1954 – Hillsdale Ambulance Corps Begins duty

Sept. 1955 – Pascack Valley Regional High School opened

1955 – Ann Blanche Smith School opened

1964 – Meadowbrook School opened

1968 – Sewer System Hookups start

1972 – Work begins on new Borough Hall