Florham Park, New Jersey, in place for nearly 300 years, is best known
for its shining symbol of endurance, the Little Red Schoolhouse. Since
1866 it has stood in the center of town, resisting time, the elements,
and the threat of demolition. Known first as Hoppingtown, the village
became Afton (after the English river) in 1876. In 1899 millionaires
Florence and Hamilton Twombly insisted that the village split from
Chatham Township to become Florham Park, a name derived from the first
syllables of the couple's first names. The name of the village was not a
matter of vanity; the Twomblys, in creating a separate borough, reduced
their tax burden by only $200. After World War II, the estates of two
other millionaires, Dr. Leslie Ward and Lloyd W. Smith, were used for
much of the area's real estate development. The town quickly became
suburban, with industrial parks, commercial centers, and shopping malls.
It is also the home of the College of St. Elizabeth and Fairleigh
Dickinson University. This book provides rarely seen views of the
borough's distinctive, turn-of-the-century kerosene lanterns, the large
ice-cutting industry, the first years of the fire department, and early
farming families. A richly illustrated volume, Florham Park serves as an
introduction to the community, its Twombly mansion (now the heart of
Fairleigh Dickenson University), the notable Afton Restaurant, the
widely known roller skating rink, and the borough's citizens.
