1630 – Dutch colonists settle Bergen County.
1665 – Bergen Township (now Jersey City) becomes English colony.
1693 – New Barbadoes Township formed from Bergen Township.
1710 – Bergen County starts to be reshaped into present area.
1737 – Saddle River Township formed from New Barbadoes Township.
1775 – Harrington Township formed from Saddle River Township
Sept. 28, 1778 – Baylor Massacre on Rivervale Road
Jan. 30, 1840 – Washington Township formed from part of Harrington
Township
1856 – First schoolhouse built on Pascack Road
Dec. 25, 1869 – First railroad train enters “Hillsdale”
March 4, 1870 – Railroad opened to public at Hillsdale station
March 1870 – Daily mail service inaugurated
1871 – Present park area in center of town donated by David P. Patterson
1873 – Railroad extended to Haverstraw, NY and town becomes railroad
center
May 3, 1874 – Hillsdale Methodist Episcopal Church organized
June 29, 1890 – Holy Trinity Episcopal Church holds first services
1898 – Magnolia Avenue School #2 opened
MARCH 25, 1898 – HILLSDALE INCORPORATED AS TOWNSHIP AFTER
STATE LEGISLATURE ENABLES BREAK-AWAY FROM WASHINGTON
TOWNSHIP
April 23, 1898 – Board of Education organized
May 7, 1900 – NY & NJ Telephone Co. (now NJ Bell) granted franchise. First telephone installed in home of Thomas C. Demarest on Summit Avenue (Broadway)
May 6, 1901 – Township clerk authorized to purchase pair of handcuffs for use of constable
April 1902 – Hillsdale Fire Association and Ladies Auxiliary organized
1902 – First macadam laid on Summit and Railroad Avenue (now Broadway)
Sept. 3, 1903 – Water franchise granted Hackensack Water Co. to lay water lines and fire hydrants
1907-08 – Special town meetings authorize $45,000 to macadamize all
accepted town streets
1913 – First post office building erected under Postmaster John W. Kinmouth
July 7, 1913 – First uniformed special police officer appointed
1916 – Hillsdale Boy Scout Troop 1 organized by Holy Trinity Episcopal Church
April 17, 1917 – Hillsdale Loyal League formed in World War I
1919 – Hillsdale American Legion Post 162 organized. Re-designated in 1929 as General Leonard Wood Memorial Post 162
1921 – New twelve room schoolhouse built (now George White School)
July 8, 1921 – Hillsdale Fire Department created
April 24, 1923 – Borough form of government adopted
Nov. 1923 – Board of Health organized
1924 – Girl Scout troop organized
Sept. 15, 1924 – Avolia Transportation Co. of Paterson inaugurates first bus service from Hillsdale to Paterson
1925 – First assigned Road Dept. organized with Axel Gufstafson using wheel barrow and hand tools
Dec. 13, 1925 – St. John the Baptist R.C. Church dedicated
Jan. 1927 – Hillsdale National Bank opens with W. Merle Hoffman as cashier (now Pascack Valley Bank & Trust Co.)
Nov. 9, 1927 – Borough Planning Board appointed
July 13, 1928 – Regular Police Dept. organized
Dec. 11, 1928 – First council meeting held in present borough hall after
purchase from Exempt Firemen’s Association in 1927
April 5, 1929 – Sun dial Garden Club organized to beautify town
July 23, 1929 – Zoning Board of Adjustment organized
April 1931 – Shade Tree Commission formed
June 1933 – Hillsdale Businessmen’s Association organized
1934 – Hillsdale Recreation Committee formed
Jan. 27, 1936 – Public library beings to distribute books
June 23, 1938 – Municipal Assistance Commission organized
May 23, 1941 – Hillsdale Defense Council formed in World War II
July 16, 1945 – Parks & Playgrounds Commission organized
1951 – Hillsdale votes to form Pascack Valley Regional High School District with Montvale, River Vale and Woodcliff Lake
1951 – Municipal Garbage Collection begins
Feb. 1, 1954 – Hillsdale Ambulance Corps Begins duty
Sept. 1955 – Pascack Valley Regional High School opened
1955 – Ann Blanche Smith School opened
1964 – Meadowbrook School opened
1968 – Sewer System Hookups start
1972 – Work begins on new Borough Hall