West Milford (NJ) (Images of America)
by Samantha Vaughan
Category: History

West Milford has always been known for its natural beauty. Its approximately eighty square miles of mountains and lakes have delighted visitors for more than a century. In the mid-1800s, renowned Hudson River School painter Jasper F. Cropsey, who married local resident Maria Cooley, captured many West Milford landscapes in their autumnal splendor. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, many resorts opened in the township and railroads brought wealthy vacationers from New York City to enjoy the countryside. West Milford also has a rich industrial history; ironworks produced cannonballs, stoves, and other items for the Continental militia during the Revolutionary War, including links for iron chains strung across the Hudson River to block access by the British fleet. In West Milford, previously unpublished images of these places and events bring the past to light, providing insight into the township's rich and diverse history. Featured items include images of the 40-room stone mansion Cross Castle, the flight of the airmail rocket Gloria, Idylease Inn during its construction, and the historic town center. Postcards created of local landmarks during West Milford's tourism heyday are included, as well as rare correspondence and letter cover images from the West Milford Museum's Jasper F. Cropsey collection.