Harrington Park Historical Society
P.O. Box 105, Harrington Park, N.J. 07640
201 768-2615
www.harringtonparkhistoricalsociety.com
501(c)3 Corporation
Recipient of the Bergen County 2011 Historic Preservation Commendation Award for the Old Burying Ground
Photo of Old Burying Ground
by Dr. Davis Ross
Upcoming Lectures & Events
All Lectures Are Held at the Harrington Park Boro Hall, 85 Harriot Ave., Harrington Park, NJ 07640
7:30 P.M. - Handicap Accessible
All are welcome to these free lectrures!
Proud Sponsor
of the
Harrington Park
Arts Council
"The Art of Today - The History of Tomorrow!"
A Legacy Project of the HPHS for the 350th Anniversary of the
State of New Jersey
To increase the interest of our community in the arts, to assist all who wish to make an artistic contribution, and to bring the artist and the community-at-large together in a mutually beneficial relationship. To develop, promote, and coordinate the arts at the community level as an expression of Harrington Park’s talents, needs, resources, and aspirations under the auspices of the Harrington Park Historical Society.
To learn more, please click on the Arts Council Button
or visit the Arts Council on
www.artscouncilofharringtonpark.com
and on Facebook - Arts Council of Harrington Park
GREETINGS !
Welcome to the Harrington Park Historical Society - we are glad you are visiting with us on our website! Please browse around our website to learn more about us and what we do.
We hope you will join us for our ten lecture series on various history subjects that range from local to the far away on interesting historical topics. We meet the third Thursday of the month, except July and August, in the Harrington Park Boro Hall, 85 Harriot Avenue at 7:30 P.M. The Boro Hall is handicap accessible.
In addition to our lectures the Society maintains and preserves two historic cemeteries in Harrington Park, namely; the Perry Cemetery, and the Old Burying Ground. The Perry Cemetery is a small family burial ground located on what was the farm of David Perry (1809-1871). The Old Burying Ground cemetery is part of the land apportioned to Garret Huybertsen Blauvelt, son of one of the original sixteen grantees of the Tappan Patent approved by the Governor of New York in 1686. Although there are believed to be earlier ones, the first known burial was in 1722 and the last in 1905.
Old Burying Ground
Photo by Dr. Davis Ross
 | ||||||
PLEASE READ AND RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP OR JOIN US AS A NEW MEMBER
As part of our mission, we are continuing to maintain and preserve the two historic cemeteries in our care, the Old Burying Ground and the Perry Cemetery. Now, we are reaching out to you, our members and friends to help us continue to keep these cemeteries in pristine condition, and to conserve these historical assets. Whatever you can donate at this time to accomplish this work, we cannot adequately express our sincere gratitude.
We hope you will continue to be as generous as you have been in the past when considering supplementing your annual dues this year. Those dues, which are fully tax deductible, are as follows:
Family $35Individual $30Youth (Under 18) $5
In addition to enjoying dual membership in the Arts Council of Harrington Park, HPHS members receive a discount on all Society events and activities (including fund raisers).
On behalf of the Harrington Park Historical Society, I look forward to welcoming you as returning (or brand new) members! Please call me (201-666-0566) or our President, Gerri Gibney (201-768-2615) if you have questions.
Sincerely,
Karen Goddard
Membership Secretary
Mail your check to P.O. Box 105, Harrington Park, New Jersey. Please include your name(s), address, phone, and email. Or, use the membership form noted above. Thanks!
HARRINGTON PARK HISTORICAL SOCIETY
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
SAVE OUR HISTORY!
Recently several historic headstones were desecrated at the Old Burying Ground on Tappan Road in Harrington Park.
Here is a short history of two of the broken headstones; Abraham Quackenbush (1768-1854) and his wife, Elizabeth Myers (1770-1807)) are part of the Abraham Myers family burial plot at the Old Burying Ground. In the middle of the 18th century, Abraham Myers received a royal charter from King George III to build a grist mill on the Hackensack River which his grandson John Bogert later operated and it thereby became known as “Bogert’s Mill.” The Myers family members interred in the plot are Abraham Myers, his wife Cathrena Nederman, daughter Cathrena, daughter Elizabeth and Abraham Quackenbush, son John Myers and wife Rebecca Durie. The markers are red sandstone.
As sole caretakers of this cemetery, the Harrington Park Historical Society will repair these monuments with your generous financial support.
If you would like to help the Society repair these stones, please send your donation to P.O. Box 105, Harrington Park, New Jersey 07640. Please make your check payable to the Harrington Park Historical Society. The Harrington Park Historical Society is a non-profit 501(c)(3) Corporation.
If you have any questions or would like to get involved in this effort, please contact Gerri Gibney at 201 768-2615, visit their website, or on Facebook.
Kevin Woyce
Author, Photographer
Kevin is a lifetime resident of the Garden State. Grew up in East Rutherford, the eldest of 15 siblings (yes, you read that right) and hasn't strayed far - he still lives just a few miles from there in Lyndhurst, NJ, with his wife, Carin, and their dog.
His first book, published back in 2007, was Jersey Shore Facts & Photos. Revised and updated twice, it's now called Jersey Shore History & Facts. He has since written about lighthouses, New Jersey State Parks, Niagara Falls, the Statue of Liberty, and favorite Christmas traditions. All of these books are illustrated with his original black & white photographs, plus some vintage images. He's also published a book of color photographs.
He began lecturing on regional history in 2008 and built his first slideshows two years later. In 2018 he launched Christmas Traditions, which was not only his first holiday-themed presentation, but also the first to include live music.
DUES TIME - PLEASE SEE BELOW!
Please note we have moved from the Harrington Park Library to the Harrington Park Boro Hall for our meetings, and we will meet generally on the fourth Thursday of the month. However, be sure and check the dates we are meeting since we must schedule our meetings around the Boro’s usage of the building.
September 24, 2026 – 7:30 P.M. – Boro Hall
Speaker: Kevin Woyce,
Topic: “History of the Jersey Shore”
Join author and photographer Kevin Woyce for a colorful tour of New Jersey's coastal history, from the long-ago days of lighthouses and shipwrecks to the founding of today's most popular summer resorts.
Fully reimagined for 2026, the slideshow includes dozens of new original photographs of Jersey Shore lighthouses, boardwalks, and other landmarks, plus vintage images of historic people, places, and events.
October 22, 2026 - 7:30 P.M. – Boro Hall
Speaker: William “Pat” Schuber
Topic: “The Italian Campaign”
The “Italian Campaign” took place from July 1943 to May 1945. It involved Allied landings in Sicily and mainland Italy, the collapse of Benito Mussolini's fascist regime, and grueling combat against tenacious German defensive lines as Allied forces slowly pushed up the rugged Italian peninsula.
Mr. Schuber is currently Assistant Professor at the School of Administrative Science at Fairleigh Dickinson University. He lectures frequently on government, law, military history, historical leadership, ethics, communication and conflict resolution. He has written many scholarly articles and co-authored books on topics of history, leadership and Homeland Security. A Captain in the US Army Reserve (Ret.), his extensive travels have given him a bird’s eye view of historical sites and situations all over the world.
November 19, 2026 - 7:30 P.M. – Boro Hall
Speaker: Mario Medici
Topic: “1620: A Pilgrim's Journey - Exploring Plymouth and Provincetown Through History and Photography”
Travel with Mario Medici on a photographic tour of Plymouth, MA, and Provincetown, MA, where the pilgrims landed in 1620. This program has something for everyone: history, art, and attractions of present-day Plymouth and Provincetown. Take one of Captain John's high-speed boats from Plymouth and step onto MacMillan Pier, once the terminus for an 18th and 19th century railroad. Visit Provincetown’s cultural district and climb the 177 steps to the 1910 Provincetown Monument, the tallest all-granite structure in the United States, commemorating the history of the Mayflower Pilgrims with their arrival in Provincetown Harbor and culminating with the signing of the Mayflower Compact. Return to Plymouth and visit a full-size replica of the 1620 Mayflower, view the 400 year-old Plymouth Rock, or walk down Leyden Street, the site of the original settlement. The visit will not be complete unless you dine one of the many of the water-front Plymouth restaurants.
Mario Medici, a retired Information Technology executive who has traveled the world, is New York City born and raised. He completed his undergraduate degree at Bernard Baruch College (CUNY) and his graduate degree at Long Island University. He is a licensed New York City tour guide, a passionate history enthusiast, and nurtures his curiosity about all things. In his presentations, he takes on New York City’s interesting history as well as other subject matter. Through a combination of diligent research, computer skills and love for amateur photography, Mario presents the story combining video and music, as well as elements of art, architecture and notable individuals, making each lecture interesting and fast-moving.
Mario currently lectures at Bergen Community College's Institute for Learning in Retirement (ILR) and has a growing list of over 80 venues that includes schools, community organizations, and libraries.
December 11, 2026 – 7:00 P.M. – ’76 House, Tappan, New York
Speaker: James Calaski
Topic: “The Traitor and the Spy: Benedict Arnold, Major André, and the Plot to Surrender West Point”
Lecture to be followed with Mix & Mingle, Hors d'oeuvres and Sweet, Cash Bar
Reservations and Fee Required by November 24th; more details coming soon on this website; www.harringtonparkhistorical.com
Prepare for the definitive story of Revolutionary War betrayal!
This lecture dissects the stunning conspiracy between American hero-turned-villain Benedict Arnold and British Intelligence Chief Major John André. Together, they hatched the high-stakes plot to sell West Point—the strategic key to the entire American Revolution—to the enemy.
Trace the secret, desperate midnight meetings and coded correspondence between the two men. Explore André's daring undercover mission and the agonizing moments of his capture—when the plans for the fortress were found hidden in his boot. This near-miss not only exposed Arnold as America's most infamous traitor but directly sealed the tragic fate of the charismatic British spy.
Discover how one man's wounded pride and another's dedication to duty led to an act of treason that almost crushed the American cause. This is the pulse-pounding, human drama behind the treason that shook George Washington to his core.
James Calaski completed his undergraduate studies at William Paterson University of New Jersey in 1998. He served with the Glen Rock New Jersey Police Department for over twenty years, receiving numerous awards and citations. He continued his studies and received a Master of Arts degree in History at William Paterson University of New Jersey in May 2013.
While researching his thesis topic, the German American Bund, he came across documents regarding a resident of Glen Rock named Carl Schiphorst who lived there during the 1930s. He was a leader of the Bergen County Unit of the Bund as well as the target of a 145 page FBI investigation suspecting Schiphorst of being a Nazi agent. D/Sgt. Calaski has been researching Carl Schiphorst, his investigation, internment, and ultimate repatriation to Germany, a story which illustrates the plight of thousands of German families during WWII.
D/Sgt. Calaski first presented his findings to the public in conjunction with the Glen Rock Historical & Preservation Society in April 2015 and has been presenting to Historical Societies, libraries, civic organizations and other groups ever since with very positive reviews.
January Break
February 25, 2027- 7:30 P.M. – Boro Hall
Speaker: Francesca Costa
Topic: Miss Bugbee and the Palisaders
It’s June 1920: Come “Palisading” at the brand-new Interstate Park! You’ll meet some of the thousands of park visitors — most of them arriving by ferry or canoe from the New York side of the river — and learn some of the tricks of the trade from the more experienced “Palisaders” among them. Based on an article and accompanying cartoon illustrations from the New-York Tribune, this illustrated talk will also introduce participants to the author of the piece, writer Emma Bugbee, a pioneering woman journalist and suffragist. To help bring Bugbee’s spirited account to life for this illustrated talk, our Public Historians have also reached into the Palisades Interstate Park’s vast photo archives of the period.
Francesca started at the park after graduating from Gettysburg College in 2019. She continued to work here as she earned her graduate degree from the University of Edinburgh, and she is now a full-time public historian for the park and supervises the park's Interpretive Ranger Program & the Park website.
Happy 250th America!
The Society would like to thank and salute the efforts of Ben Johnson, a high school senior at NVOT, who recently cleaned up the Perry Cemetery on Old Hook Road in Harrington Park, a historic asset preserved and maintained by the Harrington Park Historical Society If you have not visited this site, please pull off Old Hook in the parking area and read the historic story board and see the cemetery. Look for the historic marker sign reading: "Historic Cemetery."
Thank you Ben!
Perry Cemetery
Photo by John Mager
