In 1918, Scotch Plains was a small village of roughly 2200 people, less than a quarter the population of Westfield, its neighbor to the east, and less than ten percent the size of the industrial city of Plainfield to its west. To the south of its village center, Fanwood Borough had a train station but… Continue reading 1918: A Day By Day Account of the Spanish Flu Epidemic in Scotch Plains
The Fourth of July is always the quietest holiday in Scotch Plains. Many families go down the shore, while others host small parties at home. Most small businesses, including bars and restaurants, are closed. At 4:30 p.m., when there’s normally an unbroken line of cars from the Fanwood line to Route 22, the streets are… Continue reading Independence Day Through the Years in Scotch Plains
This is the longest post I’ve ever written, and with good reason. The issue of affordable housing is confusing and intricate but important from a historical perspective, which is why I’m giving it space. Nothing will determine the course of our township’s future more than the settlement of our Third Round and Fourth Round affordable… Continue reading The Scotch Plains Affordable Housing Settlement
With National Police Week just ended and Memorial Day today, this is a good time to honor the officers of Scotch Plains and Fanwood who died in the line of duty. Scotch Plains and Fanwood have each lost one man; both men held the title of Police Chief when they were killed; and they died… Continue reading Fallen Officers of Scotch Plains and Fanwood
Note: Although I attend a church of a different denomination, I did attend preschool at the Scotch Plains Baptist Church, and want to make clear that this article is intended solely to recount a historical fact and is not a reflection upon religion, the church, or the town. As most schoolchildren know, the English Reformation… Continue reading The Excommunication of Rev. John Wivell
Some random reflections on Christmases of the past here in Scotch Plains. 1. Tradition has always played an important part in the lifeblood of Scotch Plains, and continues to do so today. From the century-old Memorial Day Parade to the holiday animals downtown to the annual Labor Day St. Bart’s Festival, the traditions that we… Continue reading Tales of Scotch Plains from Christmases Past
How did the Raiders get their name? The most well-known theory is the one that appears in the book, “Images of America: Fanwood,” published in 2004 by the Fanwood Historic Preservation Commission: The Origin of the Blue Raiders Until the 1940s, the high school teams were known as the Plainsmen. As part of the war… Continue reading How the Raiders Really Got Their Name
Even a small town like Fanwood has a lot of history. And since the origin of its name has been both a mystery and a local source of amusement for nearly a century, let’s start by reviewing the three prevailing theories. 1. The most famous tale is that it was named after a young woman… Continue reading A New Theory on the Origins of Fanwood
For such a normally quiet town, Scotch Plains has had its fair share of rock ’n’ roll moments. Two of the members of the British Invasion-era band The Critters were from Scotch Plains-Fanwood. And pretty well-known nowadays, thanks to Michael Rosenbloom’s book, is the series of concerts put on at Union Catholic in the late… Continue reading The Rock of Scotch Plains: Pat DiNizio and The Smithereens
When the Central Railroad of NJ came through in the 1860s, it made Plainfield and Westfield into wealthy communities. Commuters could take a train directly to the ferry at Elizabethport, which would then take them into New York City. By 1867 there was also a small station named Scotch Plains between Westfield and Plainfield. It… Continue reading Murder at Shady Rest
The Blue Hills Gazette 