A SHORT HISTORY OF THE CRYSTAL LAKE STATION

A SHORT HISTORY

OF THE

CRYSTAL LAKE STATION

BY

JACK GOUDSWARD

In 1870 the New Jersey and Midland Rail Road reached Crystal Lake on its way to Port Jervis. This was an advantage to the farmers in the area. Around this time a one room station was erected and staffed for this purpose. This station was constructed at the beginning of the steepest grade on the rail road line on what would become Franklin Lakes to Oakland. The first depiction of the station is on the 1876 Map of Bergen County. On this map it is shown as “Depot”. This fact is born out with a review of the 1861 and 1876 Atlas Maps of Bergen County. The 1861 map shows no rail road or station. The 1902 map shows both the rail road and station and also shows the station had added other actives. The map designates the station as “Crystal Lake Station and Post Office”. While the 1912 map names it only as “Station”.

In 1928 the New Jersey and Midland Rail road was taken over by the New York Susquehanna and Western Rail Road. The new owners removed the Rail Agent from the Crystal Lake Station. This put a hardship upon the people who had come to depend on the station for shipping and commuter service. The rail company did keep the station lit, heated and open but all freight and ticket service transactions were either at the Oakland or Campgaw stations.

With the coming of the Auto the fate of the Rail Road became intertwined. In July of 1942 a group of swimmers returning from Oakland blew a tire and became wedged between the tracks. To their good fortune the train was not running at that time. All this changed in February of 1947 when an Oakland man driving his 1931 Buick missed the crossing signal at Crystal Lake and struck the train with 100 Midland Park students going to school in Pompton. There were no injuries to the passengers on the train and the driver of the car later recovered.

As passenger service declined the station was closed. In 1963 the station was taken down and removed. However, the crossing gates and lights continued in operation at the grade crossing. A review of the known historic photos of the station was done. They showed a Clap Board construction,. This style of Station construction is “Victorian” and is known as “Stick”/ This type of construction was common between the years 1860-1890. The construction of this Station is 1870. Some of the features of “Stick” construction are steeply pitched gabled roofs, decorative trusses, overhanging eves with exposed rafter. All of the distinctive features were embodied in the Crystal Lake Station.