Riverdale

Where in the world is “Ramaquannock”?

| Paul Havemann

You might know that I like to browse old newspapers online. That’s where I found this lovely 1927 ad, placed by James Mooney, a real estate agent, for 130 building lots in a place called “Ramaquannock.” As a local historian, I’d never heard of this place. Let’s find it!

An “absolute auction” means no reserve, and highest bidder wins.

The first clue is the name itself, an odd-sounding combination of “Ramapo” and “Pequannock.” It wasn’t unusual for the sales agent to give a cute name to a tract of land.

As it happens, the Pequannock historical society has a large advertising sheet about this 1927 sale.

(Click to see full size)

The ad says it’s on the “Pompton Plains border line in Riverdale.” That’s somewhat helpful. The map (click it to view full size) shows us that Ramaquannock is, in fact, that area behind the Route 23 Kia car dealer. The tract includes Windbeam Road (Watchung Ave on the map), along with Macopin Road, Wayside Place, and others.

The ad assures us that “Ramaquannock” on the Pompton Turnpike is but one-fifth of a mile from Riverdale Railroad Station, and a short distance to schools, churches, markets, stores, etc. and “less than half mile to the Pequannock River.” Then again, it also claims that

“This valuable property located on Pompton Turnpike is only a short walk from two railroad stations, Pompton Plains and Riverdale. Excellent train service.”

Well, sort of. Either station is, in fact, about two miles away. Maybe that qualified as a “short walk” a century ago, or perhaps it was a bit of exaggeration. “Pompton Avenue” was better known as the Newark-Pompton Turnpike. The new-and-improved Route 23, which would bypass Pompton Plains, was a few years in the future.

Part of the large sales flier.

Mr. Mooney proudly notes that the auction would take place in a Large Electrically Lighted Tent! This was actually a big deal, as Riverdale had only been wired for lights a few years previous. Only the best for would-be buyers!

The flier is festooned with kind-of photos of nearby houses, the Pompton Plains station, “a church nearby”, and more.

So how did the auction go? Mr. Mooney is quoted in March 28 as having sold 80 of the 130 available lots.

Final note: the map in the large flier notes “Watchung Ave”, but the residents successfully petitioned the Riverdale council to officially change it to Windbeam Road, after the (in)famous restaurant at the end of the road, in 1951.

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From Scherer’s Inn to the Riverdale Lodge, Riverdale NJ

| Paul Havemann

The history of this place begins with Joseph Slater, who around 1861 bought Ford’s Mill, located on Paterson-Hamburg Turnpike near the intersection of Newark-Pompton Turnpike. That mill became Slater’s Mill, which processed felt for hats.  A relative (brother?) named Otis built a house across the intersection on the southeast corner.

I don’t know the full history of this busy corner, but at some point the house was transformed into a tavern, and later added rooms to let, making it Riverdale’s first (and likely only) hotel.  This very busy place was apparently known as (not necessarily in this order):
  • Old Maple Inn (unconfirmed)
  • Scherer’s Inn (Joseph Scherer, proprietor) – 1920s
  • Riverdale Hotel and Restaurant  – 1930s
  • Old Heidelberg Tavern (Herman & Anna Zerr, proprietors) – 1930s
  • German Inn (unconfirmed)
  • Hunter’s Inn (Bert Lamb, proprietor) – early 1940s
  • Bert Lamb’s Riverdale Lodge (Bert Lamb, proprietor) – 1942-1946
    (Lamb sold it in 1946 but it was still in operation in 1948)

I don’t know the full history of this busy corner, but at some point in the 1920s the house was purchased by a German immigrant named Joseph Scherer. He might have turned the place into a restaurant/guest house (or perhaps it already was) and named  it” Scherer’s Inn”. Scherer and his family — a wife, four (or five) children, and some others — lived there as well as ran it.

Scherer's Inn, Riverdale (1929)
Scherer’s Inn, Riverdale (1929)
At some point in the 1930s, it became the Old Heidelberg Tavern and was operated by Herman Zerr and his wife, and likely his two daughters as well. Apparently they kept it up until Herman’s death in 1937.
Old Heidelberg Tavern, Riverdale
Old Heidelberg Tavern, Riverdale
There was probably another owner and another name, maybe more than one, before Bert Lamb bought it. Lamb, a New York entrepreneur, ran the place as a diner/tavern in the early 1940s which he called the Hunter’s Inn. Evidently he upgraded it to “Bert N. Lamb’s Riverdale Lodge” in 1942, and held a glorious grand opening on May 20, 1942 from 2 p.m. “until closing”. Guests enjoyed a buffet lunch and barbecue to the sounds of Harold G. Hoffman’s band.
Riverdale Lodge grand opening invitation (1942)
Riverdale Lodge grand opening invitation (1942)

A 1946 newspaper article notes that Lamb sold it to Joseph Sudyka of Bloomfield for $40,000. An article from 1948 revealed that it was still a going concern.

It’s worth noting the telephone number, from Scherer (at least) through Lamb, never changed: POmpton Lakes 540.

A classified ad offered the place for sale in 1963, noting the property contained “152 foot road frontage on Paterson-Hamburg Turnpike” and was “357 feet deep”.

At some point — perhaps the 1960s — the decision was made to widen that portion of Hamburg Turnpike. That spelled the end for the venerable old house. Today, the site is occupied by a gas station.

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The view from Federal Hill, 1890 edition

| Paul Havemann

This view from Federal Hill dates from about 1890, thanks to the intrepid unknown photographer who scaled the hill carrying a lot of heavy camera equipment.

Neither the view, nor the hill, are the same today.

I’ll have posts on Slater’s Mill and Richards later. (The funeral parlor was actually called ‘Richards Bros’ at this time.)

Click the photo for the full-sized version.

Richards corner, Riverdale NJ (about 1890)
Richards corner, Riverdale NJ (about 1890) Click for full-sized version.

Riverdale’s longtime car dealership

| Paul Havemann

The area surrounding the historic intersection of Paterson-Hamburg Turnpike and  Newark-Pompton Turnpike has hosted a variety of businesses since the 18th Century – hotels, a funeral home, a felt factory, and so many more.  This is the story of a car dealership.

Trade Town USA in its heyday.

According to Tom Riley’s excellent book, “Stories about Riverdale”, Emil Scherer bought an old barn from Otis Slater, owner of Slater’s Mill, and opened for business as Scherer Motor Company. From 1922 to 1955, Emil sold Hudson, Essex, and Terraplane motor cars. Hudson was a favorite of car buyers.

Hudson Motors, founded in 1909, was named for its primary investor. Joseph L. Hudson was a Detroit department store entrepreneur and founder of Hudson’s Department Store. The goal of Hudson Motors was to produce an motor car which would sell for less than $1,000 (roughly $25,000 today). Their first year saw them sell over 4,000 cars – the highest number of first-year-sales of any car company until then. The successful venture lasted decades, and spawned dealerships all over — including Riverdale.

Riverdale Rambler
Riverdale Rambler, early 1960s

In 1954, Hudson merged with the Nash-Kelvinator Corporation, which manufactured Nash and Rambler automobiles, and Nash-Kelvinator was re-branded as American Motors.  Their Hudson Ramblers continued to sell well at franchises nationwide.

The Rambler American continued to sell well as an affordable ‘compact’ auto.  Wikipedia notes that “The compact Rambler American was most often the lowest priced car built in the U.S. It was popular for its economy in ownership, as was proven by numerous Mobilgas Economy Run championships. After an optional second-generation AMC V8 engine was added in 1966, it also became known as a powerful compact performance model…”

Local resident John H. Vreeland bought Scherer Motors in 1955, and rebranded as Riverdale Rambler in the 1960s. According to his grandson Dave Pacailler, in 1970, Vreeland renamed the business Auto Trade Town, an American Motors franchise, which doubled as a general-purpose auto-parts store. In 1977, Vreeland dropped the franchise and sold the property.

1965 Ad for Riverdale Rambler, 1965
1965 Ad for Riverdale Rambler

The building became home to the Vancon Trailer and Camping Center, an RV/Trailer business. It went out of business in the early 1990s, and was razed to make way for a strip mall.

The property at 72 Hamburg Turnpike, today, is home to a strip mall.

72 Hamburg Tpk, Riverdale NJ
The view today at 72 Hamburg Turnpike, Riverdale NJ

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