On Wednesday, May 7, the Englewood Historical Society is sponsoring a presentation by prominent local historian and former Englewood resident Robert Griffin about the extraordinary life of William Walter Phelps. Phelps, who lived from 1839 to 1894, and was the son of a successful New York City financier, settled in Teaneck after the Civil War. He renovated an old farmhouse into one of the most beautiful and celebrated mansions of the era. He acquired substantial acreage which was devoted to the planting and growing of as many as 600,000 trees. He also served four terms as a New Jersey congressman, was appointed ambassador to Austria-Hungary, and later to Germany, and was an art collector. The Teaneck mansion was unfortunately destroyed by fire in 1888. The gatehouse in Mackay Park where our Recreation Department is located is the last remnant of his massive estate, which encompassed half of modern-day Teaneck and much of Englewood at the time of his death.

Griffin, now resident in Pennsylvania, is a professional genealogist, and was prominent in Bergen County historic circles for many years. His informative and well-researched historic presentations were popular during his residence here. The meeting will start at 7:30 PM in the Mackay Room of the Englewood Public Library.