Mahwah Museum Pushes To Honor 150th Anniversary Of Train Station

MAHWAH, NJ — The Mahwah Museum will recognize and celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Mahwah Train Station in 2021. Board members hope others will join them.

In 1848 a new single track railroad was built running from downtown Paterson to Suffern. Almost every village on the new line had a train station, but the train never stopped in Mahwah because there was no station, Museum officials remember.

Twenty-three years later in the fall of 1871, the Mahwah Train Station was constructed and the new building helped Mahwah "grow and to prosper," board members said.

The Museum Board believes this is something that should be recognized, and hopes the town will join them in creating a series of events and celebrations throughout 2021 to honor the importance of this milestone.

"The Train Station transformed Mahwah from being an almost strictly farming area to a strong, vibrant, diverse and successful community," officials said.

Museum members are currently working on plans for some events that will be held throughout the course of the year, they said. They're also hoping for some collaboration.

"The museum welcomes any ideas from the mayor, council members, township officers and all residents," they said.

Mahwah Day in late September is the target date for one event, a ribbon-cutting ceremony to commemorate the start of the construction of the station that happened in October 1871.

The board hopes important players in the Mahwah community will join them on the day.

"The museum is inviting the mayor, council members and all of Mahwah’s generational families to participate in this event at the station," they said.