Hackensack, NJ Community Message Boards

Behind Fanny Meyers Hillers school in the park off of Polifly / Sutton for a number of years- at least during the 1960's (and who knows for how much earlier) there was a barn.
Oddly plopped off to one side of the park in it's own little area of old period paving.

There it was: an old barn- flagstone floor, hayloft and all.
At one point when they redid the park, they tore the old barn down. The more I think on this today, the more it frustrates me.

What was it doing there to begin with? Why did the city (at least for some time keep it in the middle of a city park).
I would assume at least at some point it was considered of historical interest or why keep it at all. 
In that case why was that lovely old building eventually torn down?

Does anyone out there know anything of the history behind this barn?  When it was built, where it came from.  Pictures? Anything about it would be greatly appreciated. 

I would love to know!

Does anyone remember the Mayflower Diner on Essex Street?
My sister and (future) brother in law met there -
if possible I would love to surprise them with a picture of it from back when.

This looks like a book I might like to get.
Can you describe it better please.

Number of pages, number of pictures: black & white, vs color. Table of Contents. Hardcover vs pb.
Perhaps a sample page or two.

At one time - as someone pointed out Main Street was the place to be.
Researching it I have found pictures going back to the late 17th Century - ...
To the 18th Century - the 19th - the early 20th.

......  I grew up listening to tales of how it  Main Street 'was'.

I grew up listening to tales of my dad, a Sicilian immigrant  that grew up in Hackensack NJ back when most of it was farmland.
Of how it was when my my mom emigrating from Denmark during the war..

But one thing I do recall is: I remember the street fair on Main St.
Back then, they blocked off the street, carpeted it, had bands, sales, vendors - a Carnival. It was a major event.
People came from all over the tri state area to view it.

I barely remember it, and I still remember it.

 Bring back the old Hack Main Street St Sidewalk Sale the way it was. .

Go back to the 1960's, the 70's. Better yet go back to the late 1890's - early 1900's!!
Nostalgia- of whatever sort,  is big now.

In the 1980's is when Main Street really fell. Trying to compete with the Malls on their own level: Garden State Plaza, Riverside etc....
The Malls Climate controlled, convenient - Main St had no chance. I worked on Main Street in that time frame in the 80's.

I thought, and I still think that Main Streets only chance nowadays is to go back. Competing with the Malls on their own level it is doomed,
taking advantage of it's actual age - on the other hand.


Someone asked why do some of us want to save Main St - why do we care?

Because it has been around. Because we grew up with it. Because -
and most importantly - it has history -
not just another mall.... another street, not just another Main St., it is part of Hackensack History. Part of America's oldest History.

Much of it gone, too late. Lets keep what we can alive.

Keeping Main Street alive saves Hackensack from being just another boring bland old 'Mall', just another boring same as the rest of them county .... Another generic part of the greater metropolitan area that, and let's admit it blends into the same old, same old metro area.... .

Hackensack, NJ  one of the oldest states, counties in the USA, we should remember that and keep what we can.   

That brings back memories.
Foschini Park, that little rink blocked off and iced off to ice skating. I learned to skate there.

I'd like to think it only seemed like it snowed more back when but it did.

I remember cutting thru Essex / Kaplan Ave. when I was a kid. The snow seemed solid, but a solid looking thin crust over nothing-
it wasn't. Next thing I knew, I was buried in snow up to my eyeballs.
A White Christmas was the norm, not the exception.

The only comparable storm I can even think of since then is the storm of Jan 1996.
The snowplows pushing the snow aside: Essex St was a tunnel!

One other thing I do remember about the Brewster Mansion -  At the time I heard that the wishing well behind the house had been stolen shortly before the house was demolished.

How this could have been done, I can't imagine.
At the time, though I believed it absolutely. I don't condone stealing but, then I just thought HOORAY! At least the well will survive somewhere.

Thinking about it now though, it's been a long time.  I don't know if that was an article I read in the Record, or if it was just a rumour that was passed around.

Anyone know?

Michelle