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Seriously... Why is there an insatiable need for people to LABEL others as being "Italian" "Dutch" "Black" "White" "Indian" Etc? Is it because it gives the ignorant a reference point? Something safe and warm to wrap their assumptions and beliefs about a certain people, family, person or race? These people have a proud heritage and a mixed one that screams to me that they are "Americans" in the truest sense of the word. Their families have been "Americans" loooong before most of ours have. The mixing of races and cultures in the 1700's and 1800's must have been hard and I applaud them for their courage and their perseverance. I for one am proud to know of them and know that the proud mountain people of Ramapough continue to thrive today and for many generations to come.
well they better get used to outsiders, I just did a drive up my old school bus pick up Mountainside Ave, and saw a whole new development of houses for sale. Now some were occupied (brand new MC mansion style) some are being built , so the outsiders are a coming!!! As you can plainly see the land up there is mighty valuable to the people in mahwah who would love to build. They will eventually when the boom is on again push them out. Now I am not agreeing with those tactics but how the hell did mcmansions get built. I telling you, I just did a drive!! I wonder how little curtis is doing by the way!!! He was the little boy who was my favorite on the school bus route.
well they better get used to outsiders, I just did a drive up my old school bus pick up Mountainside Ave, and saw a whole new development of houses for sale. Now some were occupied (brand new MC mansion style) some are being built , so the outsiders are a coming!!!
No doubt. Mahwah's got the last significant bit of land left in Bergen County, I believe.
When I was a kid (in the 60's) I used to write letters to my cousin in Mahwah, and the address was an RFD #!
No doubt. Mahwah's got the last significant bit of land left in Bergen County, I believe.
When I was a kid (in the 60's) I used to write letters to my cousin in Mahwah, and the address was an RFD #!
you know Im gonna be honest here, I picked up a whole group of kids up there. I did it for a year, I liked these kids, they were creative. I did not like the parents, and you know I respected there title of Indians (Native/American) however they really destroyed their land. I seen all tires and garbage and stuff that would not breakdown on that mountain. Its was like a slum. SO to say that they really were like the Real Indians who loved the land, this is BULL! I could not believe all the rusted cars and tires thrown on that mountain. SAD! Like I said now the they are building mcmansions on that mountain eventually these people will be pushed out due to them raising the taxes. They want to clear that mountain and get rid of them. RIght or wrong, thats the plan.
you know Im gonna be honest here, I picked up a whole group of kids up there. I did it for a year, I liked these kids, they were creative. I did not like the parents, and you know I respected there title of Indians (Native/American) however they really destroyed their land. I seen all tires and garbage and stuff that would not breakdown on that mountain. Its was like a slum. SO to say that they really were like the Real Indians who loved the land, this is BULL! I could not believe all the rusted cars and tires thrown on that mountain. SAD! Like I said now the they are building mcmansions on that mountain eventually these people will be pushed out due to them raising the taxes. They want to clear that mountain and get rid of them. RIght or wrong, thats the plan.
That sucks about the dumping. That reminded me, I think we drove up Stag Hill road once many years ago when I was a teenager, and we came to a sign that said "No Dumping" surrounded by a huge pile of garbage and the sign was full of bulletholes.
Won't any developer also have to deal with the soil remediation issues from the years that the Ford Plant dumped all that paint throughout the woods/mountains? I know Ford's been ordered to clean it up, but I don't think that's likely to happen overnight.
you know thats a good question, its funny I went up the Ringwood side of that road, you go off old Route 17 by Mount Fuji, and there is a road there that takes you up stagg hill one side is ringwood other is mahwah. Actually even one area may be Hillburn, NY the point is only the Mahwah side is trashed and thats were the new houses are Well look there is a lot of history you have to say, and the people who I dealt with especially the kids were not bad people. The mothers some of them I used to bring my clothing that I did not wear and they would love it. They were just poor. Not bad or mean people just flat out broke!
They were just poor. Not bad or mean people just flat out broke!
Yes, that's what I've heard. I think they'll be getting more and more company if this economy doesn't turn. The food pantries and soup kitchens in the area are all at their highest demand ever right now. The last article I read was that the social services group that helps people find jobs is reporting an influx of upper middle class women who have been housewives/stay-at-home moms all their lives and are now seeking employment. They don't even have the first idea where to turn for assistance.
My brother does interior painting and he's telling me that he goes to these house in Upper Saddle River and the surrounding area and the big McMansions with the six bedrooms are completely empty of furniture once you get past the parts of the house that people usually see. They're selling off their stuff to make ends meet.
Nope, they don't. Read WhiteCloudRising's post--I think it's clear how he feels about outsiders. There have been negative encounters with outsiders, not to mention law enforcement, so it's not just a cranky guy making superiority noises and hurtling nonsensical insults out of nowhere.
Sometimes people--myself included, and you, it sounds like--are merely interested in cultures outside their own, especially the small, little-known pockets of social groups that exist here and there throughout the country and the world. People can be fascinating and there is history that is far more complex than anything we get taught in a standard textbook at school. A desire for knowledge isn't going to go away no matter how much a certain culture resents it; however, the members of such a culture have the right to refuse to not to be looked at like creatures in a zoo or to even have to talk to somebody if they don't wanna.
Some of us will remain interested in people and history no matter what. Even disregarding the Ramapough, there's a lot of history in Bergen County beyond the Dutch farmers (my ancestors). I've only recently been studying how much slavery existed in the early years of Bergen and how there were still slaves (renamed "apprentices") in the county right up until the start of the Civil War.
As for the Italians someone mentioned--yeah! There's an Italian name amongst the Dutch in a cemetery in my town dating from the late 1800's, and my first reaction was "where the heck did HE come from"?
It's never simple....
and its important that you stay interested in local history and the small pocket groups. I was always interested in how towns got names of different sections. FOr example the Fardale section how did that come about. Or in clifton the Athenia section. This is an excellent post, I just read it and find it great!!!!!!
They were just poor. Not bad or mean people just flat out broke!
Yes, that's what I've heard. I think they'll be getting more and more company if this economy doesn't turn. The food pantries and soup kitchens in the area are all at their highest demand ever right now. The last article I read was that the social services group that helps people find jobs is reporting an influx of upper middle class women who have been housewives/stay-at-home moms all their lives and are now seeking employment. They don't even have the first idea where to turn for assistance.
My brother does interior painting and he's telling me that he goes to these house in Upper Saddle River and the surrounding area and the big McMansions with the six bedrooms are completely empty of furniture once you get past the parts of the house that people usually see. They're selling off their stuff to make ends meet.
Upper Saddle River is a rather interesting town. When you go up to Old Stone Church Road, that main road (west Saddle River) turns into Airmont, Ny and then goes back to a small section of Upper Saddle River. This section Of USR has septic and well water, old little barns, apple orchards and no mcmansions. Actually there is a cross street that has an old historic mansion with an old bronze street light kinda in the middle of the road, its really old and cool. You cant believe how they wrecked that town !!!!!!
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