Mahwah

Mahwah was settled by an intrepid widow named Blandina Bayard who in 1700 wisely set up a trading post on the banks of the Ramapo River. Soon Mahwah grew into a hamlet with farms mills a general store a distillery a schoolhouse and a church. Ramapo Valley Road and Island Road early colonial highways and Franklin Turnpike an 1806 toll road connected the frontier to nearby cities. Mahwah then as now was a busy energetic crossroads. The railroad of 1848 a turning point to local prosperity opened markets to farmers promoted commuting and attracted entrepreneurs who built magnificent farm estates. Mahwahs merchant community grew around the Erie Railroad depot. In the 1950s abundant rural acreage yielded to housing business and industry. In time the richly historic Ramapo Mountains were preserved as parkland. Mahwah visually captures this communitys wonderfully varied heritage.