Sterling Forest, New York
Encyclopedia
Sterling Forest, New York is a hamlet in the Town of Warwick
, Orange County
. It is served by an active United States post office of the same name. It is situated on the eastern shore of Greenwood Lake
, at the New Jersey
state line. Part of the hamlet extends into West Milford Township
, Passaic County, New Jersey
. The hamlet grew up around the terminal station of the Montclair and Greenwood Lake Railway, later called the New York and Greenwood Lake Railway, and later the Greenwood Lake division of the Erie Railroad
. The railroad reached this point around 1875, with the station located at the state line in New Jersey. The depot complex originally contained the Sterling Forest, New Jersey post office. The post office was moved to the New York
side of the line in 1926, where it continues to operate. Rail service ceased in 1935.
The coming of the railroad was preceded by the construction of a large commercial ice house by the Ringwood Company around 1864. The Sterling Forest ice house was later operated by the Mountain Ice Company of Hoboken, New Jersey
. It ceased operation and was eventually torn down in 1945.
At one time, the hamlet also boasted two hotels (one in New Jersey), a general store, lumber yard, two bars (in addition to those in the hotels) and a Roman Catholic church (in New Jersey). Today, the only businesses that remain are one bar/restaurant, and a marina (on the site of the depot).
In the 1930s and 40s, Yankee
great Babe Ruth
often rented a cabin in the hamlet for the summer, and was known to play baseball with the local neighborhood children at a small ballfield located there.
Often confused with Sterling, New York is the old Sterling Forest Gardens property, located several miles away in the Town of Tuxedo, New York
. The property is now the site of the New York Renaissance Faire, an annual Renaissance fair
. Adding to the confusion, there is another fair called The Sterling Renaissance Festival which is located north of Syracuse, NY.
Warwick, New York
Warwick is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 30,764 at the 2000 census. The 2007 census population estimate is 32,669.The Town of Warwick is located in the southwest part of the county...
, Orange County
Orange County, New York
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area and is located at the northern reaches of the New York metropolitan area. The county sits in the state's scenic Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley...
. It is served by an active United States post office of the same name. It is situated on the eastern shore of Greenwood Lake
Greenwood Lake
Greenwood Lake is an interstate lake approximately seven miles long, straddling the border of New Jersey and New York. It is located in West Milford, New Jersey and Greenwood Lake, New York ....
, at the New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
state line. Part of the hamlet extends into West Milford Township
West Milford, New Jersey
West Milford is a township in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 25,850.-History:...
, Passaic County, New Jersey
Passaic County, New Jersey
Passaic County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 501,226. Its county seat is Paterson...
. The hamlet grew up around the terminal station of the Montclair and Greenwood Lake Railway, later called the New York and Greenwood Lake Railway, and later the Greenwood Lake division of the Erie Railroad
Erie Railroad
The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, originally connecting New York City with Lake Erie...
. The railroad reached this point around 1875, with the station located at the state line in New Jersey. The depot complex originally contained the Sterling Forest, New Jersey post office. The post office was moved to the New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
side of the line in 1926, where it continues to operate. Rail service ceased in 1935.
The coming of the railroad was preceded by the construction of a large commercial ice house by the Ringwood Company around 1864. The Sterling Forest ice house was later operated by the Mountain Ice Company of Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...
. It ceased operation and was eventually torn down in 1945.
At one time, the hamlet also boasted two hotels (one in New Jersey), a general store, lumber yard, two bars (in addition to those in the hotels) and a Roman Catholic church (in New Jersey). Today, the only businesses that remain are one bar/restaurant, and a marina (on the site of the depot).
In the 1930s and 40s, Yankee
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
great Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, Jr. , best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from 1914–1935...
often rented a cabin in the hamlet for the summer, and was known to play baseball with the local neighborhood children at a small ballfield located there.
Often confused with Sterling, New York is the old Sterling Forest Gardens property, located several miles away in the Town of Tuxedo, New York
Tuxedo, New York
Tuxedo is a town located in Orange County, New York. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 3,334. The town is in the southeastern part of the county. NY Route 17 and the New York State Thruway pass through the town...
. The property is now the site of the New York Renaissance Faire, an annual Renaissance fair
Renaissance Fair
A Renaissance fair, Renaissance faire, or Renaissance festival is an outdoor weekend gathering, usually held in the United States, open to the public and typically commercial in nature, which emulates a historic period for the amusement of its guests. Some are permanent theme parks, others are...
. Adding to the confusion, there is another fair called The Sterling Renaissance Festival which is located north of Syracuse, NY.
External links
- http://www.sterlingfestival.com/ Sterling Renaissance Festival
- http://www.renfair.com/NY/ New York Renaissance Faire
- Sterling Forest Fire Company