[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 80 (Thursday, June 18, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1163-E1164]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 THE 200TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TOWNSHIP OF FAIRFIELD, ESSEX COUNTY, NEW 
                                 JERSEY

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. RODNEY P. FRELINGHUYSEN

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 18, 1998

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the 
people of the Township of Fairfield, County of Essex, New Jersey as 
they commemorate the 200th anniversary of the incorporation of their 
community.
  In the early years, shortly after Connecticut settlers founded Newark 
in 1666, a group moved out to the northwest and settled in what is now 
Fairfield. The settlers bought the land, known as Fairfield, from the 
Indians. In 1701, eight proprietors from England came together and 
formed the East Jersey Society and purchased a 13,500-acre tract of 
land from the top of the First Watchung Mountain to the Passaic River, 
which was patented Horseneck. They built their homes on high ground and 
fed their stock from hay cut in the Bit Piece and Little Piece Meadows. 
The New Jersey State Legislature created Caldwell Township. The 
boundaries were drawn from the county line to Mt. Pleasant Avenue, 
Livingston, and from the Passaic River to the top of the first 
Mountain. The twenty-eight mile township was named for Reverend James 
Caldwell, who was pastor of the Presbyterian Church where St. Aloysius 
R.C. Church, Caldwell now stands.
  On April 8, 1799, the first town meeting was held and nine school 
districts were established. Also, at the meeting a $200 budget was 
voted to defray the expenses of the school districts. The Fairfield 
district's first school antedated the formation of Caldwell Township, a 
school that was built just before or immediately following the 
Revolutionary War. Classes were instructed in the Dutch language. In 
1957, a new school was built at the intersection of Horseneck and 
Fairfield Roads. In 1892, the first town to break away from Caldwell 
Township in a dispute over road taxes was the Borough of Caldwell. This 
marked the beginning of a succession of towns including, Verona, North 
Caldwell, Essex Fells, West Caldwell, Roseland and Cedar Grove. This 
left Caldwell Township which is now Fairfield with an area of 10.4 
square miles. By the end of the century, Fairfield would be faced with 
more seceding territories.

[[Page E1164]]

  With the invention of the automobile came the necessity for a speed 
limit in Fairfield. On December 4, 1899, an ordinance was passed 
designating a speed limit of 8 miles per hour. A couple of years later, 
the speed limit was increased to 10 miles per hour (five miles while 
turning corners) for any horse, mule or vehicle. The ordinance also 
indicated that any wheeled vehicle must have a bell or gong of 
sufficient power to give warning of an approach. In 1919, it came to 
the attention of the Township committees that the Passaic River had 
become a popular recreational area and the committee found it necessary 
to make it unlawful to bathe in the waters of Caldwell Township without 
being clothed. Other problems involving the river had become more 
serious. The lowlands have always been subjected to flooding. In fact, 
the Township's flood control program dates back to 1844.
  The 1930's saw Fairfield begin to evolve from a farm community to a 
more suburban community. As the population continued to increase over 
the 1,000 person mark, an organized police department was established 
in 1937. The year 1940 saw industrial development move into Fairfield 
with the construction of the Curtis Wright airplane factory. In the 
1960's a campaign for a municipal name change was underfoot. As the 
community's population continued to boom it was apparent that the 
Township was in need of its own postal facility. However, the Township 
of Caldwell found itself unable to obtain a facility under that name 
because of the confusion with Caldwell Borough, the post office through 
which the community was served. As a consequence, Mayor Stepehen Szabo 
suggested that the municipality again become known as Fairfield. The 
idea was quickly endorsed by other local officials and from most of the 
community.
  Mr. Speaker, my fellow colleagues, please join me in congratulating 
the Township of Fairfield and its citizens as they celebrate this 
milestone.

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