Ever since I was a little boy I was always
fascinated by Indians (Native Americans). I have been told that
they were the most colorful people that ever lived. For the past
twenty years I have had an Indian Room in my house for my Indian
collection (rugs, skins, photographs, tools, pipes, pottery etc).
When I was doing historical research in the 1960's I tried to
zero in on the Indians in the Vailsburg area. Looking at the roads
from the 1800’s I could sense their presence. South Orange
Avenue was laid on the path of an old Indian trail that went from
the center of Newark up into the mountains. In Vailsburg it followed
streams and ponds and snaked its way up to Horseshoe Falls versus
Springfield Avenue, which wasn't and was laid out as a turnpike
and is as straight as an arrow.
I discovered another Indian trail within 300' of my house. This
is now a combination of streets Valley Street, Stuyvesant Avenue,
Silver Street to Sandford Avenue and then to Centre Street and Orange
Park. The portion of the trail from Sandford Avenue was no longer
used after 1830 but it originally went west right to Centre Street
and then onto Orange Park.
Why to Orange Park? That's where Chief Parroo lived.
If one observes the attached map from 1850 the following can be
noted. The highlighted yellow line is the path of the old Indian
trail. At the end of this trail you can see the Parroos Brook, which
was Chief Parroo's home.
This highlighted map of the Indian trail will now join other Indian
footprints in my Indian Room.
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