A collection of photos for the Borough of Wanaque (Midvale and Haskell), New Jersey with views of our people, our streets, buildings, industry, landmarks, the railroad, and the countryside.
This site is set up as if you were traveling north on what is now Ringwood Avenue, beginning with Haskell and the various sights associated with the southern part of the Borough. Traveling north and crossing the Wanaque River at the Reservoir Dam, Midvale begins with it's areas of interest. There are seperate pages for the Dupont Powder Works, the Reservoir, and the Railroad.Take note of the changes in the past hundred or so years and also take into consideration that in many cases, very little has changed. What can be catagorized as "vernacular architecture", the homes have been modernized and older buildings torn down to make way for the new. In some cases this has worked out for the better, but in some, structures of significance are now lost along with the architectural style and beauty they exhibited. It is hoped that this site will help preserve Wanaque's heritage and character.
Wikipedia defines vernacular architecture as "a term used to categorise a method of construction which uses locally available resources to address local needs. It tends to evolve over time to reflect the environmental, cultural and historical context in which it exists. It has often been dismissed as crude and unrefined, but also has proponents who highlight its importance in current design."
As to the layout of this site, Wanaque has gone through many changes throughout the years. The photos on these pages depict the various eras in the town's history and developement. The places depicted in the photos are in order of where their location is in respect to Ringwood Avenue, as mentioned, heading north from the southern most part of the Borough. The time periods vary and at each location, the oldest possible photos will be listed first. In many cases, the oldest photos are only from several decades ago. Please explore this site and hopefully it will bring back some memories or provide some idea of what life was like in years past.
This site acknowledges the work of those that have provided assistance and inspiration. Please refer to the links and credits page.
For a more detailed history, reference is made to the Wanaque Local Area History website maintained by the Wanaque Library and Richard L. Mariconda, Library Director.
Photo: Unofficial.Net Collection.
Postcard view believed to be what is now Union Avenuse at the Haskell and Bloomingdale border, at the northwest end of what later became upper Twin Lakes. Possibly the J. A. Van Wagoner house.
Proceed to:
Haskell
The DuPont Powder Works
Midvale
The Reservoir
The Railroad
Links and Credits
Contact
and photos that need identification.
