Allendale

The borough of Allendale, New Jersey, is a three-plus-square-mile residential community with top-ranked schools, public-spirited volunteer organizations, and a wealth of celebrated recreational properties. Surveyor Joseph Warner Allen established a railroad stop here in 1848, which attracted farm laborers, new homeowners, and vacationers looking for a summer escape. Population growth brought a local post office, a hotel, stores, a public library, and churches. The schoolhouse soon became too small. Conflicts with neighboring communities resulted in landowners voting to incorporate as the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Allendale in 1894. Residents have banded together to preserve the Celery Farm, Crestwood Lake, and the Fell House and to remember those who have served and sacrificed. Arguments over land development, police department reorganizations, and even the accidental destruction of the firehouse are also part of the Allendale story. The history of Allendale is filled with generous people, community celebrations, and constant transformation.