Zabriskie Dam & Sylvan Lake

 

Zabriskie Dam & Sylvan Lake

Zabriskie Dam

The Zabriskie Dam was located across from the present-day post office (Ho-Ho-Kus Park) between Franklin Turnpike and Brookside Avenue. The first dam known to have existed on this site was made of wood and stone. It was destroyed in a large flood in 1862.

John J. Zabriskie rebuilt the dam in 1862. It was constructed of cut brownstone block, weighing a ton or more. The keystone weighed between three and five tons. The dam was built in the form of steps 60 feet high and 200 feet across. This type of design allowed the water to trickle over and down the steps. People came from all over the area to visit the dam’s picnic grounds and the beautiful lake which formed behind it.

The second dam, that John J. Zabriskie rebuilt, was destroyed by three days of steady rain. It burst on Saturday, September24, 1882. Early Saturday morning four smaller mill dams above stream washed away. This let flow a volume of water six feet over the top forcing it to bulge in the center and making the keystone give way.

The breaking of the dam was a calamity for the town. First, the water destroyed surrounding buildings, bridges, roads, farmland, and livestock. Second, the cotton mill business ended. Third, it did away with picturesque Sylvan Lake and the tourism. Investigation of the collapse revealed that the block stones were simply laid upon each other, some cement was pasted over the seams where there should have been solid masonry and cobblestone and boulders were irregularly dumped in as fill.

Mr. Zabriskie drowned in Sylvan Lake in 1876, and the property was in the hands of the Life Assurance Society. They had recently sold the factory and the dam to Dodge and Sinclair of New York, but possession had not been given when the dam broke.

A large segment of the dam remained until 1948, at which time the Ho-Ho-Kus Road Department began removing the stone blocks, which were used to build the road that leads to the Saddle River Park on Hollywood Avenue. But local residents interceded and stopped any further destruction.

Zabriskie Cotton Mill

This large mill complex was located on the hillside below the present-day railroad station (Brookside, Warren, and Cliff). There was a bridge crossing the brook below the dam opposite the current post office. This allowed the employees to cross the brook and for Mr. Zabriskie to have access to his business office and home. There were eleven tenant houses containing eighteen families on the mill property. Most of the buildings have been torn down, several mill structures remain.

The mill was believed to have been built in the 1850’s. It eventually became a very large structure with additions added over the years. The mill employed 60 full-time people, many of them children. The business ceased cotton production when the dam burst for the second time in 1882.

The factory stood empty for several years. It was leased by a firm to manufacture photograph paper and cameras. It has been reported that in this factory the first operating camera for taking moving pictures was built. About 1900, the factory was leased again to the American Pegamoid Company for the manufacture of artificial leather. The business failed in 1905 and the factory lay dormant again. In the 1920’s the large factory complex was still standing and in good shape.

The Borough acquired the property in the 1930’s and converted it to a car park in 1943. Five of the mills out buildings have survived and are residential properties today. Three are single-family homes; the other two are multi-family residences. The factory grounds have been totally paved and provide parking for 145 cars. Near the southeast corner the Veterans of Foreign Wars have a club house. To the southwest lies the historic Hopper-Zabriskie Cemetery. The parking area was modified in 2022 for Brookside at the Station, a 13-unit inclusionary affordable housing development.

Sylvan Lake

There once was a large man-made lake in Ho-Ho-Kus that stretched from the business district to the edge of Hollywood Avenue and under the railroad viaduct. Its function was to provide waterpower to the Zabriskie Cotton Mill located in the area of today’s railroad station’s lower-level parking lot.

Sylvan Lake covered about 70 acres and was over 70 feet deep in many areas except at the dam where it was 60 feet in depth. At its widest point, the lake was over 300 feet and one third of a mile long.

During the 1800’s a walkover bridge existed, crossing the brook below the dam and Sylvan Lake. It extended over the brook from the Zabriskie factory to the area opposite the present-day Post Office. In addition to providing power to the mill, the lake developed into a recreation center and a tourist attraction. At the base of the dam a picnic ground and recreation area were formed. People came from miles around to visit and enjoy the view and to picnic.

A walkway of some size extended from the dam along the eastern shoreline to Hollywood Avenue. Remnants of this pathway still exist today. The wooded path allowed people a wonderful view of the lake and cliffs in addition to providing a park-like setting. This area of the lake was known as Knollwood Park. Some of the properties were even developed for housing. At the north end of the lake there was a pavilion for band concerts, exhibits and dancing. In addition, a beach area provided for boating, fishing, and swimming.

The Erie Railroad advertised the area as a tourist attraction and ran special trains to the Ho-Ho-Kus Train Station, which in those days was located at the top end of Hollywood Avenue. w. People came to stay for weekends and holidays. They would stay at the Sylvan Lake Hotel near the railroad station.

The beautiful lake disappeared shortly after 4P.M. Saturday afternoon, September 24, 1882, after a very intense three-day rainstorm. Several mill dams failed up stream causing undue pressure on the Zabriskie Dam. If one wishes to understand the magnitude of the lake’s size, terrain, and depth they should walk along Knollwood Drive and marvel at the view down into the ravine and across to the rail cut along the western edge.

In 2015 a remarkable find was discovered in a glass plate photographic collection held at the Brooklyn Museum by Michael Reade, a longtime local resident and local history enthusiast. The discovery included a group of images of Sylvan Lake taken around 1880 – the first known images ever seen of the lake in over 140 years. Copies of the images were placed on display at the Borough Hall, Ho-Ho-Kus Inn and Worth Pinkham Library.

Sylvan Lake Hotel

It is not clear when the hotel was exactly constructed, but it is clear that it was some time in the mid-1850s, based on the fact the railroad started in 1848 on a single-track system. By 1852, the track system was upgraded to a two-track system. The railroad removed the first station which was located on the west side of the tracks and erected a new station on the east side of the tracks (Ho-Ho-Kus Station). The hotel arose on the west side of the tracks where the old station was located directly opposite the newer depot.

Sylvan Lake was heavily advertised by the railroad as an important area for tourists. The hotel was a two-story wooden building having a stone wall basement. The first floor had a dining area and another area for ale and drinks. Guest rooms were on the first and second floors. At least one meeting room was located on each floor level. The first floor had a room that was used as an office. The grounds contained a garden area for farming and growing vegetables. There was also a patio and picnic area in the back, added later for parties and outdoor dining.

The Stephen Vreeland General Store was built around 1860 and was located east of the Ho-Ho-Kus Train Station. A portion of the structure was eventually converted to take in boarders which in turn became competition for the hotel.

In the 1860s, the proprietor of the Sylvan Lake Hotel was reported to be John Dougherty. He was able to obtain a license to serve drinks and ale. From 1870-1880, the hotel was used by the Ho-Ho-Kus Board of Elections. In March 1870, the religious group, “The Masons”, signed a lease agreement for a room on the second floor. The group had the walls resurfaced, painted, and redecorated. The room was arranged to provide a proper meeting environment. In 1871, the Mason members were becoming unhappy with the facilities and the strange and unwelcome patrons of the hotel and restaurants. The wild parties and lack of discipline was out of character for the Masons. There were rough crowds, eavesdroppers, and a foul odor had developed in the building. In February 1873, the Masons moved out of the hotel into a Ridgewood property in March 1873.

In September 1874, Joe Jefferson (a local Broadway actor and comedian) held a wedding reception for his faithful servant Ellen Hickey at the hotel. The couple was married at St. Luke’s Church and friends and family attended the reception at the hotel.

William Hickling became the proprietor of the hotel in November 1874. He was known as a good-natured Englishman and knew how to run a first-class hotel. He proposed to keep the ale house in service using the hotel’s liquor license. Tom Hellon, Erie Baggage Station Master, Paterson, and John Carpenter of Kasson’s Express, conducted an open affair for clients and friends in December 1874. The tables were filled with various English style foods, including roast beef, mutton, and poultry. The affair was well received by all who attended. In 1875 the hotel was well patronized. A live band was in place providing music and entertainment. The wine and liquor area were well received.

In April, George Morrison leased the hotel and continued the operation, but he did make small changes to the operation of the facility. The 4th of July fell on a Sunday in 1875 which allowed for a 3-day holiday. The racetrack and hotel were well patronized. Everyone felt the effects of the heat and beer. Each evening the hotel was filled with a great local music band. Christmas Eve was well attended with food and music. The holiday celebration lasted until late the next morning. It was reported that many leaving the area distracted the residents in nearby neighborhoods. Everyone in the area went to the hotel on New Year’s Day 1876 and participated in a religious service and in a singing program provided by local children. In 1877, George Morrison was still the operator of the hotel. The hotel’s ale house was very popular. The Sylvan Lake grove on the east side of the tracks became very popular with locals and tourists.

The Erie Railroad’s advertising campaign was bringing in business for the entire area. In addition, the racetrack had small local races. Another feature for tourists was gambling in various forms. It was a “hot” item at the hotel. In the winter months, the hotel scheduled a series of dance parties which were quite popular. In the summer of 1878, the Sylvan Lake area was very popular. The hotel was full of guests who came to enjoy the lake. Boating on the lake was very popular and was a favorite of the ladies. At the end of the summer, Sheriff Leary was summoned to control a fight between William Smith and the hotel’s proprietor, George Morrison. The two overtook the first floor with fighting. Sheriff Leary took Smith to jail.

On July 4, 1879, the Ho-Ho-Kus Race Track officially opened as a race track for the public and it was well advertised. The attendance at the track was very large, which had an impact on the hotel before and after races during the summer and fall. In addition, a stagecoach service was in place to take guests to the track during the summer months. The hotel added a stable to accommodate the high level of patrons and their requirements to stay. In September, the Sylvan Lake Hotel received a government license to operate and serve liquor, thus allowing the hotel to move forward with other customer plans.

In March 1880, Sylvan Lake was chosen as an admirable place for the Baptist Church to perform the Baptismal Rite for their parishioners. The hotel was used as the base for those involved with the service. All alcoholic items were removed and placed in closed areas in observance of the religious service. July 4, 1880, fell on a Sunday and proved to be a very successful couple of days for the hotel. The hotel had an overflow crowd for three days due to the long weekend. The racetrack and stagecoach traffic were very helpful to the hotel. The hotel continued to operate at a high level until the end of December. Christmas and New Years were very successful and a high time for all which included dining, dancing, and alcohol. Unfortunately, the operator was forced to close the hotel due to illegal alcohol trafficking.

In late February, Gary Bamper took over the Sylvan Lake Hotel operation. He had major renovations done to the facility, both inside and out, including a new signed installed outside advertising the “Sylvan Lake Hotel”. By April, the hotel had guests and by the early track season, the hotel was very busy. Everyone was impressed with the upgraded conditions of the hotel. The hotel was nicknamed “The Bamper Sylvan Lake Hotel”. For the December holidays, the hotel was tastefully decorated for the season, inside and out. This resulted in an outstanding holiday crowd. The facility was completely sold out. In early Spring 1882, the hotel was reported to be doing very well. By May, activity was at its peak due to the high volume of train traffic for the racetrack and Sylvan Lake weekends.

The local Ho-Ho-Kus Fishing Club used the hotel for business while conducting programs at Sylvan Lake. They provided various fishing programs for the public and several fishing contests at the lake. The hotel was ready for another big attendance on the 4th of July. The picnic grounds at the hotel were open to the public. A dance platform was installed, plus an area for musicians. Dance admission was 25¢. The rain that day did not stop the holiday’s dance celebration and festivities.

On September 24, 1882, a disaster at Sylvan Lake changed the area and the hotel business. The Zabriskie dam, which formed the lake area, collapsed after days of torrential rain and flooding along the Ho-Ho-Kus Brook and was never rebuilt. The hotel continued to operate with parties and social events for the rest of 1882, but there were no more tourists. The only business was traffic for the racetrack and stagecoach trips to and from the racetrack.

In 1886, the Erie Railroad opened a competitive passenger station a mile and a half south of the Ho-Ho-Kus Station. This move eliminated almost all passengers from the Hollywood area and exposure to the Sylvan Lake Hotel that was directly across from the station. Over the next half dozen years, the hotel experienced a major drop in business after the loss of Sylvan Lake. The hotel maintained the stagecoach program during the summer and fall for racetrack events. It continued to hold holiday programs, dance, and party events on weekends. The hotel guests were from the various mills and family wedding receptions. The local Sheriff used the basement for official business from time to time.

On July 21, 1887, an express train heading west to Chicago struck a large group of men working on the track. Ten men were killed and many others severely injured. The accident happened just north of the Ho-Ho-Kus Train Station. Many of the injured were brought into the hotel while some were left at the accident area. A special train arrived to take the injured from the hotel and the accident scene to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Paterson. The hotel’s basement was set up to conduct hearings and investigations into the incident. The upper floors were used to house those involved with the hearing process.

In April 1893 the mill, located next to the hotel, was expanded. The hotel was moderately active during this building process and also during the racetrack season in the summer. The area was expanding, and competitive facilities were more attractive for the racetrack patrons. The Vreeland General Store across the tracks behind the old Ho-Ho-Kus Train Station had absorbed all of the hotel’s remaining customers. People in the area were very distressed over the dilapidated conditions of the hotel. The hotel fell into disrepair due to the lack of an operator. The interior and exterior conditions were not maintained. The only people using the building were hobos, the homeless and criminals.

In the early Spring of 1897, the real estate market in the area became very active. The empty Ho-Ho-Kus hotel was deemed to be a good investment. A real estate firm, Babcock, Ackerman & Wannamaker, formed a business. They invested in the building and opened their office. In addition, they set up a general store to sell soda, water, tobacco products, food items and locally grown vegetables. They also set up an entertainment area for playing pool, billiards, and other games. A liquor license was available to help serve playing customers. Over the years, Wannamaker withdrew from the real estate business. By October 1899, the building was abandoned again. It was clear the structure was a danger to all. The transients were once again inhabiting the building.

In 1902, as part of its rail line expansion, the Erie Railroad removed the hotel structure and its surroundings. The planned expansion to four tracks allowed the railroad to remove the old hotel together with several mill homes adjacent to the tracks. Today, the Dalebrook Park commercial complex and the former bleachery now occupy the site.