Ancient Native American trails led the first settlers to Roselle Park. Samuel Williams and his family established a farm, some of the first roads, and a home on the road to the West Fields. Later, this area felt the trudge of soldiers’ feet, as Revolutionary War skirmishes were fought along Galloping Hill Road. Former battlefields gave way to prospering farms, and by New Years Day of 1839, farmers heard the train engines that were to provide the predominant means of direct transportation to work, markets, and recreation. When Roselle Park’s founding fathers separated from Union Township and incorporated, the community defined itself as a most unique borough, different in many ways from its neighbors. As you journey through Roselle Park, you may catch a glimpse of a military general, a famous inventor, a governor, a president, a famous actor, a sports figure, family members, classmates, teachers, neighbors, and old friends. Photographs included in this long-awaited history represent a collection acquired by the Roselle Park Historical Society.
Diligent research offers insight into a community that has been involved in the forefront of important developments, including Marconi’s wireless telegraph, WDY’s radio broadcasting, Edison’s electrical wiring, women in politics, and the first poured cement school building. Although Roselle Park is only 1.3 square miles, it has always been an important link in the chain of transportation, industry, and historical events.