The Origins of RINGWOOD
By Elbertus Prol
(Logo developed for Ringwood's 1776 Bicentennial Celebration)
Location, Name, and Settlement
Ringwood is located in the heart of the Ramapo Mountains at the eastern end of New Jersey. It is known as the Highlands and contains what geologists consider to be the oldest rock formations in the world.
The origin of the Borough's name is thought to have been selected because the location is "ringed" by woodlands, or it might have been taken from our present sister city, Ringwood, Hampshire, England. In any event, the Ogdens came from Hampshire County in England, circa 1742, and named their enterprise: Ringwood Company.
Sometime around 1740, Cornelius Board, a Welsh miner who had erected a small furnace on Sterling Pond, New York, and the Ogdens of Newark, each purchased land in Ringwood. While the Boards' operation was small, the Ogdens erected a furnace in 1742 and thus became the first volume producers of iron in the area.Ringwood Company also produced shot for the French and Indian War.
(One of the old furnaces)
Ringwood's Native Americans and Peter Hasenclever
Before the European settlement of this region, the Leni-Lenape and a sub tribe, the Minsi Indians, dwelt in the Pompton area. Ringwood was their hunting and fishing area, and they would camp here for months at a time. Campground sites have been located in Stonetown and the State Park areas of the Borough. The arrival of Europeans, notably the Dutch, and the English, signaled the end of the Indian way of life in this area. In 1765 Peter Hasenclever bought the Ringwood Company and established Ringwood as the headquarters for a far-flung industrial empire and conglomerate. He created several iron works in this area, importing over 500 workers from Germany and England along with native whites, both free and slave blacks, and an occasional Indian. Hasenclever lived at Ringwood near where the present mansion stands. 1771 saw the arrival of Robert Erskine, a Scottish engineer who was sent to take over the management of the company from Hasenclever. Erskine was personally appointed Geographer and Surveyor General by General George Washington in 1777, and he produced upwards of 250 maps. Tuxedo's Connected Past:
The earliest occupants of what is now the Town of Tuxedo, were the Leni-Lenape Indians.
Ownership of Ringwood
Ringwood was well known by General Washington, who not only admired it for its strategic and relatively secure location, but also for its scenic beauty. He visited Ringwood at least four times during the Revolution. Ringwood was never confiscated; it does not appear on the list of confiscated lands in New Jersey or of the government. The land remained in American Iron Company hands until 1804.
In 1807 Martin J. Ryerson purchased Ringwood and Long Pond. Ryerson produced shot for the U.S. war effort during the War of 1812. His sons, lacking the business acumen of their father, sold the property in 1854 to Abram S. Hewitt, agent of Cooper Hewitt & Company, the principal shareholder being Peter Cooper. They bought Ringwood for its vast reserves of iron and operated the mines until 1931, providing iron for the Civil War and other large projects like the Capitol dome and the Brooklyn Bridge.
The Borough Seal
(The original drawing of the Borough of Ringwood Seal)
The Borough of Ringwood, incorporated on February 23 1918, being taken from a "portion of the Township of Pompton." The first organizational meeting of the Borough Council took place in the existing Borough Hall provided by The Ringwood Company, on May 6, 1918. This parcel was transferred to permanent Borough custody upon the death of Erskine Hewitt in 1936.
(The Seal as it looks today)
The Borough seal commemorates and illustrates some of Ringwood's history. It was adopted in 1963. The date 1918 which borders the iron chain was incorporated by the state legislature of New Jersey. The trees circling the seal represent the "ring of woods" that encircle our town. The green coloring for the trees is in tribute to General Robert Erskine who picked this color to clothe his militia company, which was the first to be organized in Northern New Jersey in 1775.
Prominent Settlers and Ringwood's Natural Wonders
Toward the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, the population of Ringwood consisted of the wealthy families located on estates consisting of holdings of a few hundred acres to 33,000 acres.
Some noted owners were Mr. Stetson and Mr. Mackenzie Lewis, who built "Skylands Farm", and also the Hewitts and their descendants who owned the vast 33,000 acre estate named "The Forges and Manor of Ringwood."
At one point in time, homes were being provided for mine workers and farmhands in the Company-owned housing known today as Upper Ringwood. Today much of this land has passed from the private sector into the public trust, retaining the scenic beauty that is Ringwood.
In the early 20th Century Congress initiated a study toward the purpose of creating a 200,000 acre national preserve, citing the areas historical importance and the scenic beauty evidenced by the frequent visits by General Washington, and the vital contributions of the Highlands region to the success of the American Revolution.
The Ringwood Iron Mines
The mines were sold to the U.S. Government for possible use during World War II. After an expenditure of some $4,000,000, the war ended, and the mines were sold. They operated intermittently until 1957 when they were closed. After the Second World War, the population of Ringwood grew rapidly as a result of development companies promoting the area as both a summer and a year-round community.
The Hewitt Family and the Nature Preserve
In 1920, construction of a 29 billion gallon capacity reservoir commenced and was completed in 1928. In the late 1920's and early 1930's The Ringwood Company reorganized to a land company which advertised lake front lots for vacation cabins. The beautiful location attracted city dwellers for a "Weekend in the country." This initiated the need for roads, electricity, police and fire protection.
Reservoirs & Current Life
In Ringwood, we share the beauty of nature, and the essence of American History.
Even though two-thirds of the Wanaque Reservoir lies in Ringwood proper, waters were directed south. Only recently, was the Borough permitted to pump water for its own use. In dry seasons the original Wanaque River valley, and it's foundations and roads, can be seen where they lay on the reservoirs floor. A second reservoir, Monksville, though planned in the 1970's was built in the 1980's, the dam, which is located in Ringwood, is the third largest dam of compacted concrete in the United States.
Today the population of Ringwood is nearly 14,000 and yet she retains her scenic beauty.
