During the early part of the 20th century, Randolph became a vacation haven for people from urban areas, particularly New York City and Brooklyn.
The industry began in 1905 following the arrival of the Saltz, Levine and Elgarten families. They each bought farmland but found they could not make a living and soon opened the first summer boarding houses for Jewish visitors from New York, many of whom were sent to Randolph by their doctors for clean air and healthful water.
As vacationers came, hotels and bungalow colonies sprang up along Sussex, Brookside and Calais roads.Bernard Hierschhorn, a wealthy New York garmentmaker, visited in 1917 and two years later bought 100 acres of land and built the area’s first bungalow colony.
The Levine boarding house, located near Max and Yetta’s Musiker Avenue dairy farm, later evolved into the Sains’ Hotel in 1929.
The Mount Freedom section of the township became known as the “Borscht Belt” and eventually was home to 11 hotels, 45 bungalow colonies, summer camps and swim clubs. At its peak, the summer time brought upwards of 10,000 visitors to Mount Freedom. In the winters, the resorts opened their doors for meetings of various organizations, including the Teamsters and other unions.
The resort community prospered during World War II. The country was booming and people were willing to spend in places like Mount Freedom. Alas, the post-war affluence of the 1950s and the opening of the New York Thruway and Garden State Parkway in the latter part of that decade marked the beginning of the end. Vacationers were now able to travel the superhighways to the New Jersey shore, the Catskills and other resort areas that were previously too far away.
The Randolph Township Historic Geotrail tour project was developed between Randolph Township and The Northern New Jersey Cachers, NNJC.org who have partnered, volunteered their time, expertise and assistance and help develop and implement the Randolph History tour and Geotrail.
The Randolph Geotrail caches are placed with approval by Randolph Township Parks department, any new caches will only be allowed by first obtaining written permission by Randolph Township.
The Northern New Jersey Cachers, NNJC is about promoting a quality caching experience in Northern New Jersey. For information on The Northern New Jersey Cachers group you can visit: www.nnjc.org.
NNJC.ORG