Bernards Township history

The school, known as the Basking Ridge Classical School known as the Brick Academy was built in 1809.

Alfred Vail, who collaborated with Samuel F.G. Morse on inventing the telegraph in 1838 was related to the Basking Ridge family of Vails.

26 families (13% of the total families) take up 50% of the plots at BRPC.Oldest – Sarah Hodge ,107 years old (b, Apr,1742 d.Oct.16, 1849)Highest number of an age buried in the cemetery – 30 were 1 year old. #2-21 were 67 years old.35 Revolutionary War soldiers are buried in the graveyard.

The railroad arrived in 1872, creating development.

May 21, 1898- Efforts to organize led to a mutual loan library and the incorporation of the Basking Ridge Free Public Library in 1898.

Rural delivery service was launched at Basking Ridge on December 1, 1905.

The pump was installed when the house was built in 1910.

•Samuel Owen of Newark, a pharmaceutical magnate, built his English Tudor estate in 1912 that now serves as Township Hall.

On April 6, 1917, the United States formally entered World War I. June 5, 1917 was Registration Day in Bernards for men ages 21 31 There were many parades and demonstrations with special services held in all the churches.

NOTE: Remember that Far Hills and Bernardsville were part of Bernards Township until the 1920 so these names do cover those areas as well

The Friends of the Oak Tree was organized in 1923 to save the 600 year old oak tree in the Basking Ridge Presbyterian Churchyard.

•President Calvin Coolidge approved the areas largest VA hospital in the Lyons section dedicated July 25, 1931 rocketing Bernards Township's population growth.

At the June 1941 dedication service of the new Liberty Corner flag pole an the village green, the soloist was a former Metropolitan Opera soprano, Anna Case Mackay, whose daughter, Ellen, was the wife of Irving Berlin, America’s beloved songwriter.

The Bicentennial flag was officially recognized as the official town flag of Bernards Township and was first raised by Peter L. Heimbach of Basking Ridge, and Henry R. Lounsbury Jr. from Liberty Corner on Saturday, May 21, 1960 at 9:30am and 10:30am respectively.

In 1968 that son, born posthumously, John Jacob Astor VI, sold his English Tudor mansion, the present Municipal Building, to Bernards Township.

October 12, 1974 - Volunteers, mostly made up of Kiwanis Club members and Ridge High School Students, brought donated file boxes to help move 26,000 books to their new home at 32 South Maple Ave.

A History of the Library in Basking Ridge, both written in 1995.

In 1998, in an effort to broaden its horizon, the name of the organization was changed to The Historical Society of the Somerset Hills.

1999- A large expansion adds to the Library's square footage.

September 23, 2006 marks the 78th anniversary of the founding of the Basking Ridge Historical Society, forerunner of The Historical Society of the Somerset Hills.

•The village of Basking Ridge honored North America's oldest white oak that lasted approximately 600 years from roughly 1417 to April 24, 2017.