[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 45 (Monday, March 22, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E503-E504]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BOROUGH OF FLORHAM PARK, COUNTY OF MORRIS, 
                               NEW JERSEY

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. RODNEY P. FRELINGHUYSEN

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 22, 1999

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the 
people of the Borough of Florham Park, County of Morris, New Jersey, as 
they commemorate the 100th anniversary of the incorporation of their 
community.
  Florham Park was founded on March 20, 1899, but history of this 
community began in 1708. In that year, John Campfield of Newark and 
John Hopping of Elizabethtown and his family settled here. This growing 
settlement was a legal part of larger township; first Whippany then 
Hanover Township in 1718, then Chatham Township, until it was founded 
100 years ago as the Borough of Florham Park.
  After the Revolutionary War, the settlement grew into a prosperous 
farming community. High quality brooms from broomcorn became the 
trademark of the community. These brooms could be found on doorsteps in 
Newark, New York City, and Trenton. The community became better known 
as Broomtown in the end of the 18th century.
  In the later part of the 19th century the southeastern part of Morris 
became an attractive vacation resort. Hamilton McKeon Twombly and his 
wife Florence Vanderbilt and Dr. Leslie D. Ward built their large 
estates in this community and opened part of them to the public. Not 
favoring high taxes, these two men petitioned to create their own town 
that was made a legal entity on March 20, 1899.
  The new borough began with a population of 800 with 170 legal voters. 
The community had only an active volunteer Fire Department and truck 
house, the Little Red School House, Calvary Chapel, a Post Office and 
St. Elizabeth's Academy.
  In Florham Park's first 100 years it has blossomed into a well-
rounded suburban town. The community now consists of a municipal 
building, four shopping centers, three public schools, two assisted-
living facilities, a post office, an excellent library, a recreational 
facility, and it hosts Fairleigh Dickinson University and St. 
Elizabeth's College and Academy.
  Mr. Speaker, for the past 100 years the Borough of Florham Park has 
prospered as a community and continues to flourish today. By all 
accounts, it will continue to prosper in the future and I ask you, Mr. 
Speaker, and my colleagues to congratulate all residents of Florham 
Park on the special anniversary year.

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