UPDATE
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From
BERGEN MAGAZINE - Joe Campagna, Editor
"Gravesite" Encroachment Is Possible Disturbance
2/11/97
Eric Martindale, Reporter
Hackensack NJ -
Road construction has begun near site in Hackensack where some informed
individuals believe Native American gravesites may be located. The property
is known as the Oliveri tract is at the corner of Fairmount Ave and Allen
Street in the Borg's Woods area. Most of the Borg's Woods, a remnant virgin
woodland with trees 8 to 13 feet in circumference, and 100 to 125 feet in
height, was purchased by the County of Bergen in September 1994. Funds were
earmarked for purchase and preservation of the Oliveri property, but the
county opted not to buy this site.
The half acre Oliveri property was owned by the City of Hackensack from
1940 to 1984, when it was sold off for $5,200, less than 1/10 of its true
value. Activists are currently researching whether or not the Oliveri
property was bought in 1940 for park purposes, because most of the city"s
parklands were purchased at that time.
Joe Campagna, a historian/researcher on local Lenape habitation has
documented that Lenapi may have buried their departed near these particular
streams at the Northwest side of hills. "Aside from the streamside
location and surface evidence, it is to the West of a Hill where the sun
may heve been viewd setting" - Campagna. He also mentions that the stone
circles coincide with Lenape gravesites he doccumented in the Ramapough
Mountains of Mahwah. Campagna has doccumented extensive Bergen County trail
structure especially along streams and rivers, often, overland trails
connect large rivers. In many cases these trails have become county roads
due to their age. The stream in Borg's Woods is met by a small runoff
stream from a pool fed by an underground spring. "Water which comes from
the ground like the spring in Van Saun Park and the spring in Borg's Woods
are extremly significant both culturally and spiritually", said Campagna.
The stone circles which almost invariably conform to the size of the newer
and confirmed Mahwah graves occasionally show what appear to be double
circles. Some have argued that these are glacial depositis. Mr. Campagna
failed to report the site to the State of NJ feeling that they may disturb
the site by escavating for archeaological evidence which would mean
disturbing the graves which Campagna contends could be four hundred to over
a thousand years old. Campagna has still not reported the potential site to
the state.
Borg's Woods and the Oliveri tract are the only site in Hackensack to match
this description: an old trail, clearly seen on a 1940 aerial photograph,
goes right through the Oliveri property, running generally parallel to the
Coles Brook through an upland area. Some believe that this is an Indian
trail that once connected downtown Hackensack to the Van Saun Creek area of
Paramus. The Oliveri property was also on the grounds of the Fairmount
Hotel, a country resort hotel that burned down in the late 1800's. It
served wealthy residents of New York City who once had weddings and
vacations at the hotel much like people have in the Pocono's today.
Some of the trees cut were over 8 feet in circumference, and included
American Beech, a slow-growing old-growth species. Oliveri and his partners
plan a residential subdivision, which received approval from the Hackensack
Planning Board. The board did not require any historical survey or
environmental impact statement. The main part of Borg's Woods virgin area
may stay undisturbed. Ground breaking has been done on the adjacent area
and on the Borg's Woods trail.