[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16270]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO CHATHAM TOWNSHIP

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. RODNEY P. FRELINGHUYSEN

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 27, 2006

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Chatham 
Township, in Morris County, NJ a vibrant community I am proud to 
represent. On September 9, 2006, the good citizens of Chatham Township 
are commemorating their bicentennial anniversary celebration with a day 
long extravaganza featuring a Fireman's Parade and an old-fashioned 
country fair.
  In 1806 the Commonwealth of New Jersey officially incorporated the 23 
square miles of land to the north and east of the Great Swamp and west 
of the Passaic River as the Township of Chatham. It originally included 
the areas that are now the boroughs of Chatham, Madison and Florham 
Park. The coming of the Morris and Essex Railroad in 1837 led to sharp 
increases in the population of the township which resulted in 
incorporating Chatham, Madison and Florham Park as separate boroughs.
  In the late 1870s and 1880s the area became a center of the rose-
growing industry. The specialty of one of the greenhouses was the 
American Beauty rose with a 5-foot-long stem. At Christmas they were 
sent to European royalty. Fifty were also sent to Queen Victoria in 
recognition of her golden anniversary.
  After a 5-year construction ban during World War II, large farms gave 
way to luxurious home sites. Former rose farms became two major 
shopping centers at the comer known as Hickory Tree, named for a 
hickory tree planted during President James Madison's term.
  In 1959 the Port Authority of New Jersey and New York considered the 
Great Swamp to be the ideal location for a major metropolitan airport. 
Through the massive efforts of area residents, the Great Swamp was 
secured through donations as a federally protected wilderness area now 
known as the Great Swamp Wildlife Refuge, a national treasure.
  High above the Passaic River on the east side of town, the Little Red 
School House was built in 1860. A school until 1928, the building 
eventually became the property of the township and housed the police 
and administrative offices until 1988. Today the historic building 
appropriately houses the Township Museum and Historical Society.
  Today Chatham Township consists of 9 square miles housing 10,000 
people. The horse farms, dairy farms and rose greenhouses are gone, but 
the five-person township committee form of government continues as it 
was in 1806.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge you and my colleagues to join me in 
congratulating the residents of Chatham Township on the celebration of 
200 years of rich history and the building of one of New Jersey's 
finest municipalities.

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