Fords

Fords is part of the state’s oldest original township, Woodbridge, chartered in 1669. The area was once a prime area clay-mining region, and the bricks made from that clay helped put the township on the map. Originally known as Sling Taile, Fords borders Hopelawn, Keasby, Iselin, Menlo Park Terrace, and Edison. Settled early by immigrants from Ireland, Italy, and other European countries, Fords was an agricultural community until the twentieth century, when local industry flourished. Fords exhibits vintage photographs of the very early Cutler House, old shops in the business district, local churches, Dalina’s Tavern, and the Fairfield Union School. The book also includes images of the trolleys, which were later replaced by the motorcar, and of the Garden State Parkway and New Jersey Turnpike, both of which pass through town. Drawn from the collections of longtime residents, local libraries, schools, organizations, and churches, these photographs, along with the well-researched text, bring the past to life.