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Since
its first settlement in the early 18th Century and eventual
incorporation in 1926,
Wyckoff
,
New Jersey
has developed into a lovely tree-lined residential community of
approximately 16,000 residents. The
Township
of
Wyckoff
comprises seven square miles and is only 27 miles from
New York City
.
Located
in
Northwest
Bergen
County
, midway between
Saddle
River
and the
Ramapo
Valley
, the
Township
of
Wyckoff
was originally inhabited by the Lenape Indians. In 1720, the first
settlers were recorded as John and William Van Voor Haze. There is
reason to believe that the name
Wyckoff
is a derivation of the Indian word "wickoff" meaning high
ground or "wickok" meaning water.
The
Township was the site of the Sicomac "happy hunting
ground" where many of the Lenape, including Oratam, Chief of
the Ackingshacys, were buried. The high ridge connecting the present
Township with
Hawthorne
was the place where the Minsis of northern
New Jersey
met to barter with the Long Island Indians. The famous Minnisink
Trail from the Delaware River to the
Atlantic Ocean
ran through the southwestern section, which has retained the old
Indian name, Sicomac.
As
part of East Jersey, the territory now comprising the Township was
originally in the hands of Sir George Carteret, who along with Lord
John Berkeley received a grant for all of
New Jersey
from the Duke of York in 1664. During this early settlement, the
Wyckoff
area was part of
Saddle
River
Township
, which included all the land in
Bergen
County
west of
Saddle
River
. In 1771, the municipalities of
Wyckoff
, Ridgewood, Ramsey, Ho-Ho-Kus,
Franklin
Lakes
,
Oakland
and
Midland
Park
was incorporated as
Franklin
Township
. During the following 150 years, various sections of
Franklin
Township
split off and incorporated.
In
1926, four years after the creation of Franklin Lakes Borough, the
Chamber of Commerce initiated a name change from
Franklin
Township
to
Wyckoff
. On November 2, 1926, voters approved the name
Wyckoff
with 243 positive votes out of 337.
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