German Valley Marker to be Dedicated in Long Valley Thursday

What’s old is new again in Long Valley, and for good reason.

A sign marking a portion of Washington Township’s oldest settled area was looking, well, old and settled when residents realized it was time for a change.

In 2008, when Doug Koeppen took a second look at the German Valley Historic Marker outside Zion Lutheran Church on Schooley’s Mountain Road, he realized such an important object needed some sprucing up.

The sign was installed in 1964 and had worn down over the years, no thanks to the harsh Long Valley winters. That kicked off a five-year march toward receiving proper approvals and nailing down the framework to install a new marker, which took place in Nov. 2013 as part of Washington Township’s 275th anniversary.

Now, a year-and-a-half later, the sign is receiving the proper recognition, as members of the historic society will hold a dedication ceremony Thursday, May 21.

The event, free and open to the public, will take place at 2:30 p.m. outside Zion Lutheran Church with refreshments being served immediately following at the Washington Township Historical Society across the street on Fairview Avenue.

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