1894   The Borough of Old Tappan was born October 16 John Haring De Wolf was elected the first mayor serving in that office for 33 years

1896   The westernmost section of Old Tappan, which had been part of Eastwood (River Vale) was annexed to Old Tappan by special election

Mrs. Annie Stokes paid $720 for 17 acres of land she purchased from Mrs. Rachel Ann Haring.

1898   Jacob Eckerson purchased seeds and a plow which cost him $25

1900   Population: 269

1904   The first telephone arrived in Old Tappan and was installed in Lachmund's Hotel

This rear view of Lachmund's Hotel shows the grape arbor from which the fragrance of ripening grape emanated in late summer.

The Mayor and Council resolved: "Base Ball playing be permitted within the Borough limits on Sundays, provided that games be played under proper management and no disorder or trouble result”

The coldest temperature on record for the State of New Jersey was recorded in River Vale and Old Tappan on January 4: minus 34 degrees

1906   Martin De Wolf, former schoolteacher in Old Tappan, died.  He had married Catharine Haring in 1852.

1909   Encyclopedia lots, measuring 25" x 100’, were offered as promotional prizes by an encyclopedia company.  These lots were located off Central Avenue where the leaf dump is today and were called the Warner Library lots.

1910   Population: 305

The first cars owned by Old Tappan residents appeared on the roads

Charles and Bertha De Wolf are ready to take advantage of a beautiful 1919 afternoon in their new car.

1920   Population: 404

The Sunday School voted to apply its Christmas present money to the establishment of a circulating library- the very first library in Old Tappan.

1922   22 swampy acres (Idle Wild Swim Club’s location) were sold for $500

1925   Electricity came to some parts of Old Tappan

A one-room schoolhouse, presently the Police Station, was built to be used for upper grades

1927   Mrs. Barbara Moeser started a 4-H Club in Old Tappan

These were prohibition years; it was not uncommon to detect the smell of moonshine on foggy nights in Old Tappan

1928   Roads were tarred in Old Tappan

1930   Population: 600

1932   The Old Tappan Volunteer Fire Company was organized

1933   The Ladies Auxiliary of the Old Tappan Volunteer Fire Company was organized on August 16 at the home of Mrs. Ida Stokes with Mrs. Ethel Lake, Mrs. Eleanor Hayes and Mrs. Estelle Griffith present 

1935   A Christmas basket containing a chicken, potatoes, coffee, sugar, butter, oranges, canned peas and corn was given to a poor family by the In-As-Much Branch of the Sunshine Society, cost: $2.68.

1936   The Old Tappan Fire House was built

1937   Mayor Walter de Berg advised residents to invest in land, but few had the money to invest

1939   The Old Tappan First Aid Corps was incorporated

The new 1955 Cadillac ambulance is the pride of these four Corps members, as they pose with it in the Memorial Day Parade.

The first meetings of Girl Scouts in Old Tappan were led by Margaret Eckerson; dues were 5 cents

1940   Population: 609

The Old Tappan First Aid Corps purchased its first ambulance- a second-hand hearse

The Charles De Wolf School, built with WPA help opened on September 8 and had indoor plumbing

1943   The first water main was laid on Orangburgh Rd.

1949   Girl Scouts sold cookies door-to-door at 35 cents per box 

1950   Population: 828         

Seven Northern Valley towns voted for the formation of a regional high school

1952   Mrs. Barbara Moeser was elected the first Old Tappan Councilwoman

On Christmas Day the Old Tappan First Aid Corps delivered its first baby

1954   The Old Tappan First Aid Corps put its first new ambulance into use

A 1954 view of the Charles Place development, taken from what was to become the Little League field, looking toward Old Tappan Road.

1955   The Master plan for Old Tappan was approved by the Mayor and Council in a stormy meeting

St. Pius X Roman Catholic Church was blessed and dedicated on November 6

1957   Trinity Reformed Church was dedicated on June 30

1958   The first supermarket, FINAST, opened at Bi-State Plaza attended by entertainment personalities Arthur Godfrey (who flew in by helicopter) and Mitch Miller

1960   Population: 2,300

The Mayor and Council approved purchase of the Leslie property for use as Stone Point Park

The first Borough-owned police car was put into use

1962   Northern Valley Regional High School in Old Tappan opened on March 19

1963   The Woman’s Club of Old Tappan was formed.

1964   On June 14 Prince of Peace Lutheran Church held its first service and dedication ceremony in its new Church-in-the-Round

1965   The T. Baldwin Demarest School opened in September

1966   Lake Tappan reservoir was completed

1967   Title to 50 acres of De Wolf land was transferred to the Borough of Old Tappan for a municipal golf course

1969   The Old Tappan Golf Course officially opened July 1

1970   Population: 3,917

1971   The Old Tappan First Aid Corps boasted four women members

1975   The Old Tappan Library’s new building on Russell Avenue was dedicated

The Annual Fishing Contest, sponsored by the Rod and Gun Club of Old Tappan, was held on Blanch Avenue in Harrington Park each May up until 1978 and provided a day of competiton for the Borough's young anglers.

1980   Population: 4,168

1981   Friends of the Old Tappan Library was started with thirty charter members

1989   The new Borough Hall was dedicated on May 29

1990   Population: 4,354

1991   Volunteers constructed a field house at the Chestnut Avenue ball field during April and May

1993   The Korean Presbyterian Church of the Palisades opened for Sunday services

The first traffic light in Old Tappan went into service on June 3

A ground breaking ceremony for the Senior Citizen housing complex on Russell Avenue took place on September 22