Members of the Jefferson Township Volunteer Fire Department march in a parade along Route 23 in Newfoundland en route to the 1962 country fair, organized by the Community Fire Company of Newfoundland and Oak Ridge Fire Company No. 1. (File photo by Ann Genader)
For 44 years, the Community Fire Company of Newfoundland and Oak Ridge Fire Company No. 1 organized an old-fashioned country fair.
It was a summer vacation highlight for people from New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania as evidenced by the addresses of people who signed up when they participated in the various competitions at the event.
Prize ribbons were awarded in handicraft, hobby, baking, vegetable and flower categories.
Families spent days preparing colorful theme floats and costumes for children to wear in the popular Baby Parade.
The fair included amusement rides and exhibits. Admission, entertainment and parking were free of charge.
There was widespread disappointment in 1994 when the fair was canceled. It appeared that the volunteer fire company, which depended heavily on money earned there for operating expenses, was caught in a controversy between Jefferson Township, where the fair was held, and the City of Newark, its latest owner.
Newark had taken charge of all lands around the reservoirs to protect the city’s water supply. The conflict happened during a year when West Milford officials were dealing with a budget crisis and cutting any aid they would be giving to the fire company.
It was ironic that in 1950, the fire company could have paid $1 to lease the fairgrounds property as the location of the annual fair for 99 years. At the time, such agreements were simple and uncomplicated.
However, people were unable to see the need for such an agreement, so they did not accept the offer. Most agreements in the area in those days were made with a simple handshake.
Deadlock in 1994
In July 1994, Newark issued a moratorium, saying no one would be given use of the fairgrounds until an equitable way of processing applications between the two sides was agreed on.
There was a deadlock. It was reported that Jefferson officials approved the fire company application, but Newark representatives turned it down.
The West Milford Rotary Club also requested use of the field, and it also was denied use of the field.
In July 1994, it was reported that meetings were being planned between the Newark and Jefferson governing bodies. But the firefighters said it was too late in the year for them to prepare for the event.
Preparations traditionally were under way by February or even earlier.
The days of the annual country fair in Newfoundland were over.
Every year, many people spent much of their summer vacation preparing their entries for the fair, which usually was held the last week of August into the September Labor Day weekend.
A fireworks show was a highlight. The various contests drew crowds of entrants and observers.
Initially, the fair provided financial support for the fire company at a time when the organization, staffed and financially supported by volunteers, was responsible for all costs, including firetrucks, accessories and supplies without a dime provided in the township budget.
Opening parade
In 1962, the fire companies and other groups opened the fair with a colorful parade that started from a step-off point on Route 23 north of the fairgrounds and ended at the fairgrounds. An estimated crowd of 2,000 people lined both sides of the highway to watch the 28 participating fire companies with their marching units and bands putting their best foot forward.
Community Fire Company of Newfoundland and Oak Ridge Chief John T. McCormick led his men in the first unit of the parade. McCormick had been chief since the organization formed 18 years earlier.
That was the year that the Jefferson Township Fire Company earned an award for having “the best parade uniforms with music, most men in line and best Ladies Auxiliary.”
The Tri-County American Legion Post’s Trumpeters Band marched with the firefighters. Visiting fire companies given awards in other categories were from Bloomingdale, Totowa and Pompton Plains. Upper Greenwood Lake ladies took second prize for having the best Ladies Auxiliary.
At the time, Route 23 was a narrow two-lane highway. The old section of the current dual highway had both the north and south lanes, which now function as the northbound lanes. The southbound section is a new road.
Chris Moody and Mrs. Walter Cahill Jr. oversaw the Handcraft and Hobby Show in 1962. Blue-ribbon winners included Kirk Frazer of Green Pond; Gail Marchini, George Camps and Judy Stillwell, all of Newfoundland; Nora Lund, Lake Hartung; Aimee Holdrum, Eleanor Wolff, Margaret Wood, Betty Harris, Mrs. Fred Luhman, Rose Biehler and Margaret Demski, all of Oak Ridge; Mrs. Charles Weidanz of Pompton Plains; Mary Pruden of Riverdale; Mrs. Vincent Struble and Mrs. Howard Wells, both of Pompton Lakes; Pearl Dan Heuser of Wayne; and Ariel Van Luvender and Theresa Van Luvender, both of Bloomingdale.
Charlotte Iversen of Marcella took first place for her landscape in the oil painting competition. An Arabian scene by Gertrude Eckhardt of Cozy Lake was in second place. William Baldwin of Wanaque took third place with his sea and lighthouse scene. Louise Leeman, 84, took fourth place with her original painting of Macopin Intake at Charlotteburg.
Blue-ribbon winners in children’s art classes were Michael Struble, 14, of Pompton Lakes; Cheryl Fuller, 14 of Oak Ridge; and David Moody, 11, of Newfoundland.
1963 highlights
In 1963, Bill Husselbee, wearing an Indian costume, was manning an Indian Trading Post. At the Highlands Historical Society booth, original Indian and Colonial artifacts were available for viewing.
Fred Kimble, chairman of the Vegetable Show, and Earl Jennings, both of Newfoundland, were awarded blue ribbons for their home-grown vegetable displays. Jennings received the greatest number of blue ribbons with his entries, including beets, carrots, corn and strawberries.
James David Mathews, 6, son of Mr. and Mrs. David Mathews Jr. of Echo Lake, grew the show’s prize pumpkins. H. and M. Martin of Oak Ridge received blue ribbons for the best lima beans and cucumbers. Frank Makepeace of Milton grew the best cabbage and beans.
Others with blue ribbons for beans were Bruce Griffiths of Oak Ridge and Mrs. Leonard Norman of Milton. Top tomato growers were Gerald Davenport of Oak Ridge, Walter Holley of Oak Ridge, Beulah Sanders of Milton and Mrs. Norman of Milton.
First-prize growers of squash were Frieda Cook of Ringwood and Helen Parker of Newfoundland. Beulah Sanders of Milton raised the best eggplant. A blue ribbon went to Charles Chamberlain of Oak Ridge for the best peppers. Mrs. L. Norman of Milton had the top Swiss chard entry, and Ernest Paulison of Rickertown grew the best potatoes.
There were 144 entries in the Crafts and Hobby Show in 1963. Roy Bielicki of Echo Lake won first place in the hobby division with his car models. Top awards in the knitting class went to Jean Phillips of Oak Ridge, Marie Morgan of Newfoundland and Betty Degerden of West Milford.
First-place ribbons for crochet work went to Pearl Danhauser of Wayne, Mrs. Frank Nigro of West Milford, Marie Morgan of Newfoundland, George Elliott of Milton and Mary Kostickz of Wayne. Top embroidery honors went to Carol Onufrow of West Milford, Amelia Dunay of Stockholm, Mrs. William Meyer of Newfoundland, Trudy Mills of Apshawa, Mrs. Alf Peterson of West Milford, Susane Wynkoop of Green Pond and Eleanor Wolff of Oak Ridge.
Top prize ribbons in the Flower Show went to Mrs. R. Hooey of Sussex for her dahlias and gladioli and her outstanding flower basket arrangement. Others raising first-place dahlias were Amelia Dunay of Stockholm, Alice Greenwood of Oak Ridge and Nita Somerville of Hewitt. Lester Adams of Bloomingdale raised the best asters. Jane Somerville of Hewitt received a first-place award for her wildflower bouquet.
In 1964, Mrs. Joseph Muller of Awosting chaired the Flower Show. Laura Smith, 80, of Oak Ridge received a special Flower Show award for the zinnias she raised in her garden. Peggy Zester of Sun Down Farms was awarded Best in Show for her fall arrangement on wood, featuring yellow flowers and ceramic pheasants.
Jane Sanders of Mt. Glen Lake won a blue ribbon for her asters and Roy Parker of Newfoundland took top honors for his mixed flowers entry. Lynn Zoeller was awarded a blue ribbon for her arrangement of tiny roses in a gold cup and saucer. E. Coursen of Newfoundland took blue ribbons for her cosmos and the Best in Show award and another blue ribbon for asters.