All in a Name: From Delford to Oradell

Today it s something we all take for granted - Oradell is, well,  Oradell.

But it was not always that way.

Much as it is not known by many that Kinderkamack Road in town was once known as Linden Avenue   (then the town’s Main Street too), similarly it comes as a surprise to some to learn that Oradell was not always Oradell

Oradell was originally formed on March 8, 1894, as the Borough of Delford. Delford was constructed from from portions of Harrington Park, Midland Township and Palisades Township, at the height of phenomenon described as “Boroughitis”, then sweeping through Bergen County.

Much attention in the borough’s history books is given to the circumstances surrounding the launching of the new borough (high local taxes imposed by those living elsewhere). Much less was written about the name itself.

We do know that the name Delford was conventionally considered to have been created from the names of two communities within the new borough: Oradell and New Milford.

“Oradell” loosely had been formed around the four corners of Kinderkamack and Oradell Avenues and stretching to the north to Soldier Hill Road and South to Ridgewood Road.

“New Milford” (the Oradell version as contrasted from modern day New Milford) stretched from Ridgewood Road to River Edge. When Delford was formed New Milford disappeared for 28 years, when the name re-surfaced as the Borough f New Milford in the area that had previously been called Peetzburgh (Also known as “The Flatts”).

Just where the name Delford came from, these histories do not disclose.

It was not long before some folks from Oradell wanted the whole town to carry that name. By 1920 they succeeded when on November 12 the borough's name was officially changed to "Oradell", based on the results of a referendum held ten days earlier. The proposed name change to Oradell prevailed by a vote of 350-50.

As to the name Oradell, our modern day histories speak of research performed by Hiram Blauvelt in 1944, when he edited a 50^th anniversary booklet for the borough. At that time, he came upon several theories.

For example, some spoke of it coming from a similarly named town in England. Others said it was a word that meant “golden dell”. Still others said it came from a discussion in a local shop, feeling that since the community had both a hill and a dell, there should be a reference in the local name. Finally, some say that these local discussions combined the “dell” with the first three letters of local Chief Oratani.

Whatever the source, Oradell soon supplanted Delford. The remained for a few years at what is now the site of Schirra Park.

These days the name Delford can be found, though one must make an effort to look.

Like the Oradell Animal Hospital that now calls Paramus home,  is in business, but it its address outside of town, on Kinderkamack Road in River Edge.

There is, however, a Delford Avenue in town that continues to recall the earlier community name. A three block north-south thoroughfare near the High School, it starts as Locust Avenue in Paramus and is a street unknown to many. So is its story, seemingly a footnote to the past largely overlooked and forgotten.  

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Source Materials -  Biography of A Borough: Oradell (1969), by Irving Crump;  Oradell Centennial; 1894-1994…..Thanks to Borough Historian Frank Vierling for his guidance. And, a special thank you to Borough Archivist, George Carter for his ear, his support generally and in particular his help in securing historic pictures from the Borough/Library Collection….. The Archives, located at the Oradell Public Library, are open to the public the first Friday afternoon of the month from 1-5 p.m.