Ridgewood Public Library

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SPRING AVENUE


Spring Avenue was begun by 1873 and not completed until after 1905. The first section was laid between Maple Avenue (the Paterson Road) and Van Dien Avenue before 1876. This view from 1905 shows a dirt street with curbs and sidewalks. Of the houses currently between Maple and Van Dien, more than half were built before 1910, with most of the development taking place between 1890 and 1910.


This is another, perhaps earlier, view.


Many of these homes are still identifiable today. Do you recognize any?



	At the southeast corner of Maple and Spring was an inn called the Herbert House (later the Village Inn). It was built circa 1893 and boasted an iron windmill. In 1895, General Adam Badeau, an aide to General Grant during the civil war, a diplomat, and an author, died while living at the hotel. The newspaper noted that, "he had many warm friends...was uniformly courteous and cheerful...had a fine mind richly stored with countless reminiscences, and his conversation was esteemed a privilege by his listeners."



Henry W. Hales, horticulturist and photographer, had a hot house on this property and supplied local and city markets with flowers, ferns, and palms. He was an inventor and after inventing a mole trap, he specialized in photographic equipment and lenses.



The Spring Avenue bridge across the Hohokus Brook provided many scenic views. The Bridge was completed in 1900, in about 5 weeks time, at a cost of $3,525. It survived until the flood of 1945.

Looking south from the Spring Avenue bridge Photo from the collection of Joe Suplicki.

Bridge after the flood in July 1945. Photo from the collection of Joe Suplicki.

Replacement Bridge, still in use. Photo from the collection of Joe Suplicki.
Images from the collections of the Ridgewood Public Library, except as noted. Visit the Bolger Heritage Center at the Library for more information.