Here's what Passaic County mayors said when we asked about hidden gems in their towns
We at NorthJersey.com and The Record asked the 16 Passaic County mayors to tell us about any hidden gems in their municipalities that residents or visitors may not know about. We gave each mayor a chance to brag a bit.
The mayors were told they could choose to highlight any place or event. Eight of the mayors responded and here is what they had to say.
Hawthorne
"Our hidden gem in the Borough of Hawthorne is our Hawthorne Memorial Pool & Recreation Complex. This area includes our town pool, Boro Bandshell (which has free concerts and movies throughout the summer), tennis courts/pickleball courts, a children’s playground, a ballfield, and acres of green space for our residents to enjoy.
"Each September the Borough holds its annual Hawthorne Day celebration on the grounds, which is attended not only by our residents, but also by residents from our surrounding towns. We have an average of 5,000 to 6,000 people who attend! At the conclusion of Hawthorne Day, there is a spectacular fireworks display."
— Hawthorne Mayor John V. Lane
Little Falls
"Not really so hidden, but definitely a gem, is our Little Falls Farmers Market. Started in 2020 by our Little Falls Councilwomen Christine Hablitz and Tanya Seber, the market has flourished throughout its last four seasons.
"Every Sunday marketgoers flock to find some of the freshest local produce and artisan vendors in the area. From pickles to baked goods to candles, the market has it all. The market also features weekly entertainment and community groups. After only four seasons, the market was rated No. 4 in New Jersey, and 73rd Nationwide.
"The market runs each year from May through October from 9-2 p.m. at our Municipal Building. The Little Falls Farmers Market is just one of the many gems, and reasons to stop in Little Falls."
— Little Falls Mayor James Belford Damiano
North Haledon
"High Mountain is a gem that many people know about. What they don’t know is that during the Revolutionary War, soldiers communicated to Totowa from High Mountain, and during World War II, there was an artillery battery on High Mountain.
"The borough sponsors a breakfast on High Mountain in May.
"In the 1950s the North Haledon Boy Scouts put up a star on High Mountain for Christmas which could be seen from miles away, that was generated by a gas generator. During COVID I resurrected the star to give people hope and it is illuminated throughout the year and is powered by solar energy, with a backup powered battery."
— Mayor Randy George
Pompton Lakes
"The Hall of Fame boxer Joe Lewis trained for many years in Pompton Lakes. At the time of his training, we did not have an ambulance squad and he was worried about if he got hurt in training what he would do.
"Joe Lewis purchased the first ambulance back in the '30s I believe, and that became our first ambulance for our ambulance squad. We have a large monument honoring Joe Lewis at our Elks Lodge in town."
— Pompton Lakes Mayor Michael Serra
Wanaque
"The “hidden gem” for Wanaque is the Tree Taven Wine Bar, at 17 Park Street, in a quiet residential neighborhood.
"The establishment first opened in 1923 as Pallavicini's Villa Genova Inn, as a speakeasy during prohibition. Several years later the name was changed to Polly’s. The Pallavicini family owned the establishment from 1923 to 1979. After the repeal of prohibition, the facility became a local “railroad bar” primarily servicing local residents who worked for the railroad that transversed Wanaque. The roundhouse and storage yard for the railroad was located a few blocks from the facility. The railroad ceased operations in 1968. The railroad property is now the Wanaque Elementary School.
"The Hack family owned the facility from 1979 to 2021 and operated it as Andrew’s hideaway. Since 2002 it has been owned by Mike Ryan. Mr. Ryan renamed the enterprise the Tree Tavern, as Mr. Ryan was also the owner of Tree Taven Pizza, the first frozen pizza company that originated in Paterson in the late 1940s. Mr. Ryan was not the original owner of Tree Tavern Pizza. He purchased the business several years later. The current facility has a wine cellar with over 250 varieties of wine. It was named one of the top five best wine bars in New Jersey.
"Mr. Ryan [hosted] a wine tasting on Oct. 29 to commemorate the establishment’s 100 years of continuous operations. You can find out more about the Tree Tavern at treetavern.com.
— Wanaque Mayor Dan Mahler
Wayne
"The hidden gem in Wayne is definitely Laurelwood Arboretum. It is the most pristine parkland that we have. Once a commercial nursery owned by the Knippenberg family, the 30-acre arboretum on Pines Lake Drive West is maintained through a partnership between the Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum and the township.
Story continues below arboretum gallery.
"The property is absolutely beautiful. It is a great place to go for a walk and see nature at its best. It has a great selection of artwork located throughout the grounds of the facility. A great place to go for a walk with the entire family."
— Wayne Mayor Christopher P. Vergano
West Milford
"West Milford's hidden gem is Hands in 4 Youth, home to Camp Vacamas."
— Mayor Michele Dale
"For nearly 100 years, Hands in 4 Youth, home to Camp Vacamas, has been lifting up underserved children, giving them experiences they never dreamed possible. Since 1924, Hands In 4 Youth has continued to understand that exposure to experiences outside of the classroom, including sleepaway camp and exposure to the outdoors, can be just as important as learning calculus or memorizing timetables.
"The organization has been a pioneer in diversity, intentionally prioritizing the integration of its programs for children throughout the New York-New Jersey region. Hands In 4 Youth has provided children from neighborhoods facing the greatest disparities with countless opportunities to boost academic performance and social-emotional learning. The organization, located in West Milford, continues to build on its 100-year history with a year-round calendar of programming, from summer camp to school-year retreats, to daily after-school enrichment programs."
— Submitted by Madison Kane, Hands In 4 Youth’s communications team on behalf of Mayor Michele Dale
Woodland Park
"Woodland Park’s hidden gem is not a place, but rather a wonderful event that evokes an emotion of times passed when the holidays were about family, friendships and community.
"Woodland Park has always had a beautiful holiday tree lighting event each year. In 2019, we were approached by our volunteer firefighters to add a holiday festival and parade to our annual festivities, held in our magnificent Dowling Gardens, which has been transformed into a winter wonderland for the season.
"While not knowing exactly what to expect, we allowed our dedicated fire department to run with the idea. No one could have imagined the holiday spectacular they would deliver.
"Our day starts with a holiday festival featuring food trucks, craft vendors, local bakers, rides and entertainment for the kids as well as professional carolers and horse-drawn carriage rides.
"At 5 p.m. we will be joined by our local school students for music and caroling and the lighting of our Christmas Tree with Santa Clause, Mrs. Clause, Rudolph and Frosty.
"At approx. 6 p.m. our holiday parade enters our town from our neighboring Boro, Totowa. The parade consists of over 200 police, fire, EMS and commercial vehicles from all over the state, decked out in thousands of lights. We also have the most incredibly ornate floats, bands and live music.
"This parade is enjoyed by over a thousand families. Many people have compared it to a Hallmark movie, only better. The parade is capped off by the excitement of the arrival of the Salomone Brothers’ Floats and cement Mixers covered in lights and the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Clause on the fire engine.
"This is truly a spectacular event that embodies the excitement of community and the holiday season."
— Woodland Park Acting Mayor Tracy Kallert
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Passaic County NJ mayors talk about hidden gems in town
