August 25,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it” George Santayana
Ridgewood NJ, by destroying Village history and discarding those who made sacrifices in our past are we not trampling on the very foundations of what made the Village of Ridgewood ,the Village of Ridgewood?
There are hundreds of commemorative bricks in Van Neste Memorial Park and large commemorative markers associated with the 1995 restoration project, are we so willing to disregard the people and the past ?
And if you are willing to sacrifice the past,who’s decision is it anyway ? A Village employee trying to make political points?
History is what makes you who you are. In Van Neste Square there is a memorial dedicated to Abraham Godwin. Abraham Godwin was born July 16, 1763. He was a Soldier, Statesman, artist, poet, engraver, and a very talented musician. As a soldier Abraham went to Fishkill joining his brother, Captain Henry Godwin’s regiment, the Fifth of the Line, January 17, 1777, as a fife major. The regiment was ordered to Fort Montgomery to lay the chain across the Hudson River. He was in the Governor’s life guard at Schenectady protecting the frontier at Lake Otsego under General Sullivan during the Finger Lakes campaign and at Yorktown, where he witnessed the surrender of Cornwallis to Washington.
Before Ridgewood got its name, it was called Godwinville in his honor. Godwin Avenue is now named after him. There are various other war memorials in Van Neste Square as well.
No one is against “change” but why is it the politicians always look to “fix” things that are not broken ? Why must we always “change” the good but never change the bad?
Why must we destroy and denigrate our history but put up with a “3rd world water system” ? If your looking for change how about changing Ridgewood Water instead, so we do not have water restrictions every summer?
Reader says Brigadier General Abraham Godwin should be the Patron Saint of this blog
https://theridgewoodblog.net/reader-says-brigadier-general-abraham-godwin-should-be-the-paitron-saint-of-this-blog/
https://theridgewoodblog.net/reader-says-brigadier-general-abraham-godwin-should-be-the-paitron-saint-of-this-blog/
Sprinkler controls can be reset as of midnight next Wednesday (or just after your last “sprinkle” occurs before then): “Stage I will be in effect each year starting on June 1st and will continue through August 31st.”
https://water.ridgewoodnj.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=51&Itemid=75
The September 1 square on this year’s village calendar states that restrictions end that day. (This year’s calendar omitted a start date altogether after getting it wrong for at least a couple of years, stating that it was May 1. “Janet Fricke IS the village calendar.” –R. Sonenfeld at a recent council meeting. Maybe not something to be proud of?)
Water Dept or Village Manager could conceivably extend the end date, but if so, I believe it would be for the first time in history.
The above comment belongs elsewhere. As for the changes it is what the Queen BEE wants.
Water restrictions were mentioned in post above.
Abraham Godwin was my direct ancestor. I stopped in Ridgewood a few weeks ago to see this monument (and also stopped in Paterson’s Eastside Park to see the plaque for his father).