The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-05-16
BEHIND THE PALISADES
Runs THE NORTHERN RAIL
no .iD or NEW JERSEY.

WA USNHA<
ROAD or NEW JERSEY,
Providing Access to . Score OF Pietur.
esaue COmmutlsE settlements That
Overlook the Farms and Orchards
or the Upper liackensack Valley.
Scattered along the western slope Of
the Palisades end overlooking the wide.
sunny valley through which flow the
Haekensack River and its tributaries
are n score Of towns and villages that
may be classified roughly under four main
divisions.
At the lower end Of the region, just to
the north of Jersey City. are u or five
suburban settlements that have come into
prominence recently through the activity
OF land companies. They are just emerg-
ing from the raw state that made to order
suburbs assume in the first few years Of
their development and are still sur
rounded by thick woodland.
In the second division are Englewo God,
an old established. rather aristocratic
community, and its two suburbs. High
wood to the north and Nordhof to the
south. Both are residential settlements,
rejecting on n slightly reduced scale the
high social standard and exclusiveness Of
the parent town.
Between Englewood and Sparkill are
a number Of small country villages that
are rising to importance as committing
towns. They include TenaHy, Cresskill.
Demarest. Closter. Norwood. Worthwhile
and Tappan.
| Along the west bank OF the Hudson
River above Sparhill are Piermont. Grand
View. South Nyack and Nyack, forming
the fourth division. The first three are
entirely residential settlements and are
populated mainly by New York people.
Nyack, in addition to its residence colony,
has an extensive business district that is
the most important distributing centre
in lower Rockland county.
Between Jersey City and Nyack. con-
Meeting all the intermediate towns, runs
the Northern Railroad Of New Jersey,
one OF the many branch lines OF the Erie
that are to profit by the opening OF the
McAdoo tunnel system early in July.
The railroad tracks follow close to the
base of the western slope OF the Palisades
for twenty miles. then strike through
a narrow cleft in the hills at Sparkill
and follow he west bank OF the Hudson
River to the terminus of the line, Ave
miles further north.
Ridgefeld. Morsemere. Palisades Park,
G%rantwood and Lee MIA in the first divi-
sion lie spread out along the crest OF
the Palisades. between Edgewater. which
lies about opposite 10th street. and Engle-
wood. Ridgefeld is q very old settle
ment, dating back to the Colonial period.
The four other towns are Of recent origin
and owe their existence almost entirely to
development companies that have been
operating there on a large scale within
the last five years.
The dense forest OF hardwood timber
tina covered this upland region a few
years ago has been almost entirely cleared
away, leaving great patches of open
country. In these c%learings streets
and sidewalks have been laid down, gas
and water mains placed beneath the
surface and all the conveniences OF a
modern city installed. Building has been
especially active and hundreds OF new
| dwellings nave been erected. The houses
are mainly OF the suburban villa type and
feet in width. As is usual in suburban
settlements OF this type both building
plots and houses are sold on the install
ment plan. The small monthly payments
made are not much greater than the rent
Of a good 81 zed apartment house in New
| York, and people Of moderate. means who
desire TO get outside Of the dty and vet
keep within easy reach Of Maphattan are
locating there in steadily increasing num-
b,rs.
The region has a commanding situation.
On the east It's rocky cliffs rise abruptly
to q height Of over 300 feet above the
Hudson River, On the west the ground
slopes downward more gradually TO the
shore Of the H~ackensack River, beyond
which lie. in turn. a low ridge. the valley |
Of the Passaic River and the eastern slope
of the distant Orange Mountains.
In addition to train service on the
Northern Railroad OF New Jersey the ter
ritory In furnished with transportation by
three high speed trolley lines. two run
ming from the l30th street ferry westward
to Englewood and H~ackensack reepeo-
lively. tho third extending northward
from the West Shore Railroad ferry op-
posite F%ifty-ninth street to Coytesville, |
above Fort Lee.
Englewood lies on both sides Of the rail-
road. which separates the town into two
level stretch Of ground. are the stores
and markets Of it's thriving business dis
trict and tho snail frame dwellings OF its
cheaper residence section. To the east.
in the city proper. Is he educational
centre, " 18th it's fnepublic schools libraries
ana CnuTCneS. TLnHieWooO ms AL the
important qualifications OF an moor
porated city, foremost among which are
a fire department, police protection and a
we'll equipped hospital, with an efficient
ambulance service.
The better residential section OF the
town occupies three ridges that rise in a
series OF Terraces. each overlooking lts
predecessor, from the railroad tracks to
the high table land hat forms the crest
OF the Palisades. Englewood has earned
the distinction of being one Of the most