On March 14, 1863, the New Jersey Legislature created the township of West Orange by combining all of the land of the existing Fairmount Township, formed only a year earlier, with a section of neighboring Orange. It created West Orange with its present-day boundaries and gave the new town a separate and distinct identity. It became home to the laboratories of world-famous inventor Thomas Edison in 1887, and he lived here until his death in 1931. But there is so much more to the town's history. Four former New Jersey governors also lived here, including Civil War general George McClellan, who, as a town resident, unsuccessfully opposed Abraham Lincoln in the presidential election of 1864. The fertile farmland that attracted the early settlers left behind an enduring legacy of rich history still interwoven into the community of today.
West Orange is one of New Jersey's most loved communities, and the remarkable stories from its past reveal why. Civil War general McClellan lived here while he ran for president against Abraham Lincoln in 1864. Amos Alonzo Stagg, the "Grand Old Man of Football," grew up in town. Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt discovered their romantic interest for each other here. West Orange also had its share of intrigue. An alleged love affair between two star-crossed residents led to murder, with as many subplots as a dime store romance novel. Discover the stories of the future mayor who escaped the Nazis, the town employee who fired the first shot of World War II, the railroad tycoon, the hometown Olympic champion, Liberace's early rise to fame and more as local history columnist Joseph Fagan tells West Orange's most fascinating tales.
Founded in 1895, the Essex County Park Commission was the first county park system in the nation. That year, the commission began its management of Eagle Rock. The reservation was designed by renowned architect Frederick Law Olmsted Sr., who also designed Central Park in New York City and the Capitol Grounds in Washington, D.C. Evident characteristics of the architect within the park are the winding roads, natural blended waterways, open fields, and overlooks, all of which combine to attract thousands of visitors each year. Eagle Rock Reservation explores many interesting and little-known facts about the park. Readers are introduced to Llewellyn Haskell, the founder of nearby Llewellyn Park, who first purchased land at Eagle Rock. Seen is the trolley that once served Eagle Rock as it emerged as a popular resort area. Included are the park's view of the New York City skyline and the Hundred Steps to Eagle Rock, the same steps that were ascended by visitors nearly one hundred years ago. Also seen is a never-before-published lab note written by Thomas Edison, documenting World War I experiments he conducted for the U.S. Navy at Eagle Rock.
Although West Orange is best known for Thomas Edison, there is much more to this New Jersey town than its famous inventor. Through vintage postcards, West Orange explores the towns history from the days of cable cars that once climbed the mountain to the long-gone amusement park at Crystal Lake. Postcards illustrate how Llewellyn Park and Eagle Rock share a common beginning and West Orange once had two train stations. The familiar roads of home come alive as images reveal West Oranges rich history.
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