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Englewood is situated in the southern part of Bergen County's Northern Valley region, just north of the great Jersey meadowlands, three miles west of the George Washington Bridge and ten miles from Times Square. It occupies 4.9 square miles descending from a height of 410 feet on the western slope of the Palisades to almost sea level in the valley.
Until 1840, travelers to New York had to endure a three-hour trip by stagecoach to Hoboken, where they would board a ferry for New York City. In that year, a railroad was built from Jersey City to English Neighborhood. The venture proved so successful that in 1858 proposals to extend the line further north were submitted. John Van Brunt and Thomas W. Demarest, English Neighborhood residents, organized the Northern Railroad, which eventually ran to Piermont, just across the border in New York State.
The railroad's chief engineer invited a friend, New York lawyer J. Wyman Jones, to join him on an inspection trip over the new route. Impressed by the beauty of the country, Jones foresaw the likelihood of development when the railroad extension was completed and set about acquiring property rights. With friends he obtained control of six farms, laid out named streets, had a map drawn, and, on August 15, 1859, registered Englewood, the nucleus of the present city, in the County Seat of Hackensack.
The selection of the name was a subject of considerable discussion. The village encompassed much of the portion of English Neighborhood which had been known as Liberty Pole. Area residents and friends of Mr. Jones met in Van Brunt and Walters' carpentry shop to consider various names, including Paliscene and Brayton. The group finally adopted Englewood, Mr. Jones original proposal. According to Adelaide Sterling's 1922 history, the derivation of the name is not certain. Some said it was a variation of "English Neighborhood", while others claimed it stemmed from the Engle family name and woods of the hill section.
At present Englewood is a sophisticated city which combines much of its historic grace and charm with an exciting cosmopolitan atmosphere. It has many contrasts - between elaborate Victorian mansions and modern low-rise condominiums, between quiet tree-lined residential neighborhoods and the bustling central business district, between large estates and affordable apartments. Its proximity to New York City continues to be a significant feature, but it also has a vital and distinctive character of its own, forged from the richly heterogeneous backgrounds, interests and talents of its citizens.
Englewood's population is far more diverse than that of most suburbs, including many of its Bergen County neighbors. Occupations range from highly paid professionals to unskilled trades. Due to the proximity of New York hospitals and the ever-expanding Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, doctors abound. There are also many lawyers, business men and women, engineers and professors, as well as a number of artists, musicians, and entertainment and sports figures. One of many distinguished residents was Dizzy Gillespie, after whom a downtown area is named. |
