Township of Mahwah, Aerials and History
Today we continue our Journey On the Ramapo River and enter the township of Mahwah.

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Mahwah was the home of the Lenape and the Ramapough Mountain Indians, the name is said to mean “Meeting Place” and it’s roads have been traveled long before the Europeans settled there.

Let’s turn back time to the early 1800’s, Mahwah was a town home to farmers and was then called Ho-Ho-Kus Township. The Paterson and Ramapo Railroad began service in 1848 between Paterson and ran through Mahwah. At the time, there was no railroad station in Mahwah, there would be a flag hoisted indicating that either cargo or passengers were ready to board. A passing train stoped only when the flag was raised.

It wasn’t until 1874 that the first railroad station named Depot was opened. The station gave a huge boost to farmers looking to sell their produce and brought city people looking for a getaway. It was also the town’s Post office, telegraph office and housed the village telephone.

Fast forward to the mid 1900’s, Ford Motor built a famous assembly plant in Mahwah, that at the time of its completion it was the largest motor vehicle assembly plant in the United States. It produced 6 million cars in 25 years of its existence, closing its doors on June 20, 1980.

Did you know that Bruce Springsteen song “Johnny 99” is about an auto worker that gets affected by the Ford plant closing in Mahwah? Listen Here

Fun fact

Mahwah town sports teams remain named Thunderbirds in honor of the Ford plant.

Presently, Mahwah is home to Jaguar Cars and Land Rover vehicles North American Headquarters. It’s also headquarters for New York – New Jersey Trail Conference and UPS.

Did you know that Jill Biden and les Paul once called mahwah home.

Mahwah is also home to Lincoln tech vocational school and Ramapo collage.

Lastly, did you know the during the winter you can snowboard at Campgaw Mountain Reservation? Yup during the winter months, the mountain is covered with man made snow and ready to explore.

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