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The
Lenni Lenape Indians tilled the soil, hunted in the woods and fished
in the rivers before the Dutch arrived in the early 17th Century.
The Dutch settlers, though, left an indelible mark on the
area. Early records show that in 1669 Governor Philip Carteret
granted a strip of land which extended from the
Hudson River
to the Tiena Kill, to the Balthaser De Hart. In 1677, a Chief of the
Tappaens tribe deeded a tract of land stretching from the
Hackensack
River
to the
Hudson River
to David Des Marets. It is within these geographical boundaries that
lies what is now known as
Closter
,
New Jersey
. It is believed that Closter was named after Frederick Closter, who
received a grant of several thousand acres as a military reward from
King Charles I of
England
. Reminders of Closter's early Dutch and French abound in local
street names: Bogert, Demarest, Durie, Lindemann, Naugle, Parsells,
Vervalen and Westervelt.
Closter is also rich in ethnic and cultural diversity. The community
prides itself on the outstanding support of the dedicated Volunteer
Fire and Ambulance Corps and with the highly trained Police
Department. Although public transportation supports the many
residents who commute to and from
New York City
,
Rockland
County
and other parts of the
Bergen
County
area, residents continue to enjoy this "side" of the river
with a combination of nature centers, brooks, wild life refuge and a
recreational pond for fishing and ice skating. Today Closter's
population is approximately 8,200 people and growing. Closter is set
on 3.3 square miles of which 230 acres is open space and woodlands.
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